Four weeks ago, after months of negotiating and posturing, a divided Congress went on summer recess without providing more funding to prevent the Zika virus from spreading in the United States and creating the sort of crisis seen in Brazil. Democrats balked at a Zika funding plan from Republicans that also reduced funds for Planned Parenthood and elements of the Affordable Care Act and ended a ban on flying Confederate flags in military cemeteries. Given what’s happened since then, this GOP gamesmanship was grossly irresponsible.

On July 29, for the first time, federal officials confirmed that Zika-carrying mosquitoes were responsible for infections in the United States, citing four linked to one Miami neighborhood. Until then, all of the approximately 1,650 cases in the United States had come from people who had traveled to areas with Zika or who had sex with individuals infected by Zika.

Last Friday, federal authorities declared a Zika public health emergency in Puerto Rico, a U.S. commonwealth. The same day, state officials reported that there were now 153 cases in California, the third most of any state behind New York and Florida. San Diego County has 28 cases, the most after Los Angeles County.

Those considering starting a family or having another child can’t be happy with any of these stories. There is no vaccine for Zika and it can cause devastating birth defects. The idea that Republican lawmakers would impede efforts to create a vaccine or to better track Zika’s spread over unrelated policy fights is unconscionable.


The hyperpartisanship in Washington has built steadily over the past dozen years. Both parties have used their powers in provocative ways. But when it comes to combating Zika, GOP lawmakers should accept a funding bill without strings and send it to President Obama as soon as humanly possible. The stakes are too high. No more games.