The United States Senate is expected to vote this week on a package of legislation to prevent a government shutdown next weekend and provide more than $1 billion to battle the Zika virus. It also would provide $500 million to help Louisiana rebuild from last month’s devastating floods.
The vote would come just ahead of the Sept. 30 deadline to fund the government.
The Senate's top Republican, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) said the measure would address concerns held by both Republicans and Democrats.
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“It contains a significant down-payment on flood relief for many states, including Maryland, West Virginia, and Louisiana. And of course, it includes important resources to support our veterans and combat Zika. These are resources needed to help develop a vaccine and promote mosquito control," McConnell said on the Senate floor Thursday.
“I look forward to continued bipartisan cooperation so that we can complete our important work on Zika/Veterans funding and the clean CR that will fund the government through December 9,” he said.
Meanwhile, federal health agencies have warned their resources are growing thin, and so far 2,900 cases have been reported in the U.S. and its territories.
Passage of the bill is not assured, with some Democrats saying they would likely filibuster the measure because it does not address a bipartisan plan to provide $220 million to help Flint and other cities with lead emergencies replace pipes and help clean their water.
“Today’s government funding proposal from Senate Republicans is unacceptable,” said Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan. “There’s no reason we cannot include urgently needed funding for Flint.”
The stopgap spending bill needs to pass to prevent the government from shutting down next Friday at midnight.
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