WASHINGTON, DC — This week, President Obama called on Republicans in Congress to take action and vote to fund the Administration’s response to the Zika virus.
- In February, the President asked Congress to fund emergency resources
- Unfortunately, Republicans in Congress have failed to take action on this issue
- Obama stated “We took that step because we have a responsibility to protect the American people”
- Our primary focus has been protecting pregnant women and families planning to have children
- Zika spreads mainly through the bite of a certain mosquito. Most infected people don’t show any symptoms
- Zika can be spread through unprotected sex, it’s not just women who need to be careful – men do too. That includes using condoms properly
- If you live in or travel to an area where Zika has been found, protect yourself against the mosquitoes that carry this disease
- We need more Republicans to act that way because this is more important than politics
- As long as I’m President, we’ll keep doing everything we can to slow the spread of this virus, and put our children’s futures first