The Hill: Funding the fight against Zika
Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.)

“…[The U.S.] should be taking the lead on developing quick and accurate testing, eliminating the backlog of Zika tests causing some women to wait 30 days for answers, understanding exactly how the disease is spread, educating the public and particularly women of child-bearing age, and finding a vaccine. But we must take these actions quickly. … While the health impacts of a Zika outbreak would be staggering, so would be the financial impacts … As co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Maternity Care, I’m committed to highlighting challenges facing moms, and exploring solutions in Congress — and right now there is no single threat to the health of infants in the U.S. more deserving of swift congressional action. … I don’t want expectant parents or those who will be starting families to face the risk of severe birth defects this virus causes on a massive scale, and know that Congress could have done more to stop it…” (5/12).