Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
'We Are At The 11th Hour And 59th Minute': Dems, Obama Make Final Push For Zika Funding
The White House and congressional Democrats pressured Republicans on Thursday for bipartisan Zika-funding legislation, saying the public health battle against the mosquito-borne virus is being undercut by efforts to ram through a bill with less funding. But there was no sign that Republicans would abandon their $1.1 billion measure, raising the chance that Congress will leave the growing health crisis unattended until September. (Morgan, 7/7)
Obama has personally spoken with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and top Senate democrats about Zika funding in the past few days, according to a White House advisor. The White House again called on Congress to pass a bipartisan deal that would provide funding for the Zika virus before adjourning next week in a call with reporters Thursday, saying more consequences will be evident if legislators leave town for the rest of summer without providing new funding. (McIntire, 7/7)
President Obama this week has personally lobbied leaders in Congress over funding for the fight against the Zika virus. Obama has spoken with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) as well as top Senate Democrats over the 鈥減ast few days,鈥 White House homeland security adviser Amy Pope told reporters Thursday. (Ferris, 7/7)
Sen. Bill Nelson is asking Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to bring up a Senate-passed bill to combat the Zika virus ahead of Congress's seven-week recess. The Florida Democrat sent a letter to McConnell Thursday noting that a $1.1 billion deal passed the Senate in May with bipartisan support. (Carney, 7/7)
In other news, a survey shows that women are willing to accept advisories from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to avoid pregnancy during the Zika outbreak聽鈥
The majority of Americans would accept federal advice to women to avoid pregnancy during a Zika outbreak, according to a survey released Thursday. So far, officials have stopped short of such advice but warned about the risks Zika poses to pregnant women and their babies. The survey by PSB Research found the stark advice was acceptable to about 62 percent of Americans, of whom 21 percent said it would 鈥渁bsolutely鈥 be appropriate for the government to issue it. About 9 percent said such advice was completely inappropriate. (Ehley, 7/7)
