Here’s one of those something-for-everybody outrages that so often graces us from the halls of Washington.
You would have figured by now Congress would have gotten its act together and passed crucial funding to combat Zika. You would be wrong, because the Senate failed to pass Zika funding tonight.
So who’s to blame? Well, depends on who you ask.
On the one hand, Senate Democrats were the ones that blocked the bill. On the other hand, Republicans included provisions to prevent Planned Parenthood funding and does not include language restricting the display of Confederate flags at Arlington.
So naturally, Senate Republicans are blaming Senate Democrats and vice versa:
Senate Democrats are again playing politics with a very serious public health crisis & are blocking funding for our troops for a THIRD time.
— Pat Roberts (@SenPatRoberts) September 6, 2016
Disappointing that Congress is–yet again–putting politics over protecting Am. families by not passing critical funding to combat #ZikaVirus
— Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (@SenatorHeitkamp) September 6, 2016
#Senate Democrats yet again put politics ahead of fighting the #ZikaVirus AND providing funding for our #veterans. pic.twitter.com/BewVPO0Jsy
— Leader McConnell (@SenateMajLdr) September 6, 2016
In yet another act of partisan politics, Senate Dems shamefully blocked funding to care for vets & combat #ZikaVirus https://t.co/D0V1Ra1yvH
— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) September 6, 2016
Again today, Senate Democrats blocked legislation to combat #Zika, opting instead to play election-year politics.
— Senator Mike Rounds (@SenatorRounds) September 6, 2016
— Senator Hatch Office (@SenOrrinHatch) September 6, 2016
Third time this year a partisan minority blocked approps bills from advancing, even though they previously passed with bipartisan support
— Cory Gardner (@SenCoryGardner) September 6, 2016
They just did it again https://t.co/ZS8jgSzfVP
— JohnCornyn (@JohnCornyn) September 6, 2016
For 3rd time, Dems just blocked a bill with $1.1B to fight Zika crisis & fund critical resources for our troops, vets & their families
— Kelly Ayotte (@KellyAyotte) September 6, 2016
Alexander: “No excuse” for Senate Democrats to block #Zika funding a third time pic.twitter.com/rIXPMuABNh
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) September 6, 2016
After a 7-wk @GOP recess, the @SenateGOP's 1st priority is the same old #Zika bill that hurts women, vets, Obamacare, @PPFA & clean water.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) September 6, 2016
Today’s GOP-led vote failed to combat #Zika + threatened women’s health. @SenateGOP: It’s time to #DoYourJob. pic.twitter.com/THMBMtsG4n
— Richard Blumenthal (@SenBlumenthal) September 6, 2016
Ed boards & constituents across the nation have not stopped calling for #Zika funding & to Senate R’s: #DoYourJob https://t.co/U1JViJpxpg
— Sen. Maria Cantwell (@SenatorCantwell) September 7, 2016
And Hawaii Democratic Senator Brian Schatz retweeted these sentiments:
Republicans are withholding funds to fight Zika to ensure that the symbol of slavery can fly in military cemeteries. You can't make this up.
— sean. (@SeanMcElwee) September 6, 2016
The "both sides do it" coverage of Zika is disgusting. Republicans demand concessions for basic governance. The media enables them. Stop.
— sean. (@SeanMcElwee) September 6, 2016
And the rest of Twitter is just as divided:
BREAKING → Senate #Democrats have now blocked #Zika funding for the third time. Unacceptable. pic.twitter.com/x1XosaED8V
— Paul Ryan (@SpeakerRyan) September 6, 2016
Got it? To the GOP, Zika is exclusively a Democratic concern so Democrats must compromise if they want to fight it. https://t.co/HweAOVrhHr
— LOLGOP (@LOLGOP) September 7, 2016
GOP: Here's a bill that prevents and treats Zika.
DEM: Add Planned Parenthood approps.
GOP: No.
DEM: Then no Zika funding!And GOP blamed?
— Ellen L. Carmichael (@ellencarmichael) September 7, 2016
Zika patients: We have Zika.
Zika researchers: We need money to stop Zika.
GOP: ok but only if we can display the confederate flag
— Rob Flaherty (@Rob_Flaherty) September 6, 2016
Not one person arguing against GOP conditions to Zika funding would ever accept restrictions on Dems doing the same to funding bills.
— Dan McLaughlin (@baseballcrank) September 7, 2016
Zika is unprecedented in that it's a mosquito virus that infects fetuses. It seems Republicans, contrary to their claims, hate fetuses.
— Rania Khalek (@RaniaKhalek) September 7, 2016
# of times Senate GOP blocked Zika funding: 0
# of times Senate Democrats blocked Zika funding: 3https://t.co/pyzY1rZ0Ox— Mitch Behna (@MitchBehna) September 7, 2016
# of times GOP has put forward a Zika bill that didn't include BS about Planned Parenthood or the Confederacy: 0 https://t.co/AFpVLzNriR
— Parker Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) September 7, 2016
[image via screengrab]
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