CQ News: Leftover Ebola Funds Can’t Be Used to Fight Zika, CDC Says
“Leftover money approved to respond to the Ebola virus outbreak in 2014 cannot be used to combat the emerging Zika virus because a majority of those dollars have already been committed, administration officials told Senate appropriators Thursday. Instead, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Thomas Frieden suggested at a hearing that a fresh injection of cash is needed to fight Zika by enhancing mosquito control programs, stocking up on the supply of diagnostic tests, and funneling research toward development of a vaccine…” (Zanona, 2/11).

The Hill: Ryan: House will take bipartisan action on Zika funding
“Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said Thursday that he expects bipartisan action to approve funds to fight the Zika virus. The White House is asking for $1.8 billion in emergency funding for programs including the creation of rapid response teams for local outbreaks of the virus and boosting vaccine research. Ryan said that lawmakers are still waiting for the formal submission of this request from the administration…” (Sullivan, 2/11).

The Hill: Overnight Healthcare: GOP leaders say Zika funding likely
“…House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Thursday also expressed hope that the funding could pass in a bipartisan way, saying her ‘read from the Speaker is that [the issue] will be bipartisan, hopefully noncontroversial, as we go forward to meet the president’s request for Zika emergency funding’…” (Ferris/Sullivan, 2/11).