House passes Zika funding agreement with offsets

The House of Representatives early today voted 239-171 to approve a conference report that includes $1.1 billion in emergency funding to prepare for and respond to the Zika virus. The bill (H.R. 2577) would divert $750 million in existing funding for Ebola, Department of Health and Human Services administration and health care exchanges in the territories to fight Zika. The Senate is expected to take up the measure next week where its passage is unclear. Senate Democrats have criticized the offsets and objected to other provisions in the measure. The AHA has urged congressional negotiators to quickly pass a conference report that provides $1.1 billion in new funding to prevent local transmission of the Zika virus and develop a vaccine, rather than repurposing funds from other public health programs.