The Atlantic: Will Congress Reach an Agreement on Zika?
“In the nearly four months since the Obama administration issued its $1.9 billion Zika funding request, congressional lawmakers have publicly bickered over each chamber’s response to the virus. This week, select members met formally for the very first time to begin reconciling their dueling ideas. But after a brief session on Wednesday, the end of the debate is not yet in sight — and lawmakers are running out of time…” (Kelly, 6/16).

POLITICO: Zika messaging campaigns stalled by funding flux
“It’s hard to communicate about a potential Zika outbreak as public health experts struggle to learn about the virus and must beg for money from Congress, which is ‘not yet acting as though this is a serious problem,’ said Georges C. Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association…” (Holloman, 6/16).

Roll Call: Zika Deal in the Works as CDC Reports Virus-Linked Birth Defects
“House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Thursday the chamber may vote on a conference report addressing a response to the Zika virus outbreak next week if Senate and House negotiators produce a final package. … The comments came as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported three babies had been born in the U.S. with birth defects linked to Zika, and that three more had been lost to miscarriages or aborted because of the defects. All of the cases were connected to travel to regions with outbreaks of the mosquito-borne virus…” (6/16).

Wall Street Journal: Zika Virus Tied to Birth Defects in 6 Babies, Fetuses in U.S.
“…Overall, 234 pregnant women had tested positive for Zika infection in the U.S. as of June 9, according to the registry. More than half of the pregnancies are still under way, Denise Jamieson, co-lead of a pregnancy and birth-defects task force for the CDC’s Zika response, said in an interview…” (McKay, 6/16).

Washington Post: CDC: 6 pregnancies in Zika-infected women resulted in birth defects
“…The information released Thursday is the first time the agency has provided a total number of Zika-related birth defects since the start of the U.S. response earlier this year…” (Sun, 6/16).