The Status of Funding for Zika: The President’s Request, Congressional Proposals, & Final Funding
Issue Brief
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Florida investigation links four recent Zika cases to local mosquito-borne virus transmission; July 29, 2016.
World Health Organization (WHO). WHO statement on the first meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee on Zika virus and observed increase in neurological disorders and neonatal malformations; February 1, 2016.
White House. Letter from the President -- Emergency Appropriations Request for Ebola for Fiscal Year 2015; November 5, 2014.
Kaiser Family Foundation. The U.S. Global Health Budget: Analysis of Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2015; December 22, 2014.
On February 8, 2016, the White House released “Fact Sheet: Preparing for and Responding to the Zika Virus at Home and Abroad” providing initial details on the emergency Zika funding request that it would be submitting to Congress. The formal emergency funding request was sent to the House of Representatives on February 22. The Department of State released an emergency budget request justification with additional details on the Zika funding request on February 23, 2016.
On April 6, 2016 the Administration announced it had identified $589 million in previously appropriated funding that could be used to support the Zika response effort. See White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Taking Every Step Necessary, As Quickly As Possible, to Protect the American People from Zika; April 6, 2016.
On April 8, 2016, the Administration notified Congress of its intent to transfer unobligated FY15 emergency Ebola funding from the Economic Support Fund (ESF) to support Zika response efforts at CDC ($158 million, of which $78 million is for Zika and $80 million is for Ebola) and USAID ($137 million). See Congressional Research Service (CRS), Zika Response Funding: Request and Congressional Action; June 2, 2016.
On August 11, 2016, the Administration announced its intention to reprogram $81 million in previous appropriations to support Zika vaccine research and development activities at HHS (see Congressional Research Service, Zika Response Funding: Request and Congressional Action; September 1, 2016). Of this $81 million, $76 million is in addition to the $589 million that had been previously identified (obtained through direct communication with White House Office of Management and Budget).
P.L. 114-223, Continuing Appropriations and Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017, and Zika Response and Preparedness Act; September 29, 2016.
H.R.5243, Zika Response Appropriations Act, 2016; May 18, 2016.
S. Amdt. 3900 to H.R. 2577, Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017; May 19, 2016.
H. Rept. 114-640, Departments of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies for the Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 2016, and for Other Purposes; June 23, 2016.
Congressional Research Service (CRS). Zika Response Funding: Request and Congressional Action; September 30, 2016.
Three of the rescissions included in the final bill (P.L. 114-223) had been included, at different levels, in the Conference Agreement. However, the final bill did not specify that these rescissions were to be used to specifically offset the Zika appropriations.
Congressional Research Service (CRS). Supplemental Appropriations for Zika Response: The FY2016 Conference Agreement in Brief; July 14, 2016.