Roll Call: Kaine Cites the Pope in Urging Anti-Zika Dollars for Planned Parenthood
“… ‘The uniform focus for members of Congress should be, “Let’s solve the problem,”’ Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine said at a meeting in Richmond. Kaine, a practicing Catholic whose Senate voting record shows support for abortion rights despite personal opposition, emphasized the importance of allowing funding from the proposed supplemental to combat Zika to flow to Planned Parenthood…” (Lesniewski, 7/5).

Tribune News Service/Spokesman-Review: ‘Surge’ of funds to fight Zika virus isn’t materializing
“More than five months after President Barack Obama requested $1.9 billion to fight the Zika epidemic, members of Congress went home to Fourth of July barbecues without approving a spending bill. While Washington’s dysfunction is predictable given the current electoral climate, less noticed has been the global inertia facing efforts to combat the mosquito-borne disease…” (Tozzi, 7/2).

Washington Times: Voters insistent Congress needs to do more against Zika
“…Public perception of the threat is a mixed bag, with 3-in-4 people saying Zika poses a major threat to pregnant women, yet only 13 percent feel it is a major threat to them personally, the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation said in its June tracking poll. About 3-in-4 people, including the majority of Republicans, say Congress should invest more money in research on Zika and efforts to prevent the disease’s spread…” (Howell, 7/4).