Opinion: Where are the funds for the Zika fight?

To the editor: As your article said: “Congress left on a seven-week vacation without giving the Obama administration any of the $1.9 billion it sought to battle Zika.” (“Zika found spreading within U.S.,” July 30 and “The steady march of the Zika virus,” August 1)

Missing was the reason for the Senate not funding the Zika bill. Instead of a clean bill, the Republicans piled on provisions. One, for instance, would allow the Confederate flag to fly at veteran cemeteries. These caused the minority Democrats to shoot down the bill, putting our nation’s health aside. It is this gamesmanship, instead of statesmanship, that has so frustrated and angered the public.

Ken Johnson, Pinon Hills

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To the editor: While Zika spreads within the U.S., Congressional Republicans understandably need a seven -week vacation.

After all, they are surely exhausted from months of blocking Merrick Garland’s confirmation hearings, so difficult as they have no logical or legal justification.

They have been working overtime keeping witch hunts against Hillary Clinton alive and expanding voter suppression. Their exhaustive primary has taken the wind out of them.

But we’re actually better off when they’re on vacation, their return to work will simply mean more blocked bills unless their singular obsession with Planned Parenthood is catered to.

No matter the horror and devastation inflicted on existing lives.

That is the heartless reality of today’s Republican Party.

Wendy Blais, North Hills

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To the editor: It seems that our country has already accepted as “scientific fact” that microcephaly can be caused by Zika infection, yet scientists at ground zero for this hypothesis are starting to doubt the relationship. As more scientific papers are published casting doubt on “Zika -microcephaly,” I would think the CDC may modify its position.

Interestingly, if this trend continues, we may be grateful that Congress did not act in a knee-jerk fashion, but instead behaved as usual and did nothing.

What a waste of money it would have been to placate a fear of birth defects when in fact the science was incomplete.

Todd Miller, Sherman Oaks

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