With two days remaining before a scheduled seven-week recess, Kentucky’s senior senator is holding the line on a bill that provides $1.1 billion to combat the spread of the Zika virus.
Lawmakers have been at odds over a House-approved conference report that’s part of a military and veterans appropriations measure. Tuesday, Sen. Mitch McConnell handed the opposition party an ultimatum.
"There is only one option to get anti-Zika funding on the president's desk before September and this is passing the compromise Zika control and veterans funding legislation that is before us and sending it down to the president for signature," he said on the Senate floor.
Democrats have objected to the amount – the White House originally requested $1.9 billion in emergency funds – and new politically-loaded additions to the bill.
"It's an abomination of a conference report," Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid responded. "It restricts funding for birth control provided by Planned Parenthood."
Reid has pressed McConnell to put a standalone Zika funding bill on the floor. President Obama has threatened to veto the Republican-approved funding deal.
