Should Congress Put Unused Funds Towards Fighting the Zika Virus? (H.R. 5243)

What is H.R. 5243?

(Updated August 26, 2021)

This bill would allow for $622.1 million dollars to be spent by various federal agencies to fight the Zika virus and prevent it from spreading. If enacted, this funding would be available immediately and would remain available for the rest of the 2016 fiscal year (which runs through September).

None of this funding is new, as it is fully offset by $352.1 million in unused money set aside for the Ebola outbreak and another $270 million in unused administrative funds from the Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would get $170 million that would primarily be spent on mosquito control, disease-related research, public education, and Zika preparedness in vulnerable states and territories. Of the total, $50 million would be set aside for health programs for mothers and children in states and territories with Zika outbreaks which would cover prenatal care, delivery and postpartum care, and care for infants with special healthcare needs related to Zika.

$230 million would go to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for vaccine development to stop the spread of infection and prevent future outbreaks. The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) would get $103 million for research and development related to Zika, including the production and deployment of new rapid tests for diagnosing Zika and vaccines.

The State Department would get $119.1 million for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), of which $100 million would fund Global Health programs aimed at stopping the spread of the virus through mosquito control. The remaining $19.1 million would be used to staff and manage Zika-related programs, coordinate with foreign government, and provide resources for travelers and at-risk U.S. citizens in countries affected by Zika.

For the sake of ensuring oversight of this spending, $2 million would go to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and inspector generals at HHS and USAID.

Argument in favor

America needs to take immediate action to fight the Zika virus and keep it from spreading both at home and abroad. Using this $622 million in unused funds from the Ebola outbreak and HHS to finance those efforts is a logical way to start.

Argument opposed

Just because the media isn't talking about Ebola anymore doesn't mean it's no longer a threat. Congress should take action on Zika — but not with Ebola funds. Besides, the fight could need more than $622 million, requiring Congress to pass another bill.

Impact

People in U.S. states or territories, or around the world who may be affected by Zika; HHS; and the State Department.

Cost of H.R. 5243

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Sponsoring Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY) introduced this bill to allow the federal government to quickly take action to fight Zika and prevent its spread without having to authorize new spending:

“This legislation will make dollars available to fight the disease now, prioritizing critical activities that must begin immediately, such as vaccine development and mosquito control. The legislation funds these efforts in a responsible way, using existing resources – including excess funding left over from the Ebola outbreak – to pay for it.”

The Senate has been debating various approaches to dealing with the Zika virus ranging from fully-funding the president’s request for $1.9 billion to approving a smaller $1.1 billion package. The smaller proposal was successfully added to an unrelated spending bill while the president’s request was blocked.

Previously, legislation had been introduced in Congress allowing unused Ebola funds to be repurposed to fight the Zika virus and the Obama administration obliged, transferring $589 million in April 2016. According to the Daily Signal, HHS has about $1.46 billion in leftover Ebola funding.

Of Note: Between January 1, 2015 and May 11, 2016 there were 503 reported cases of the Zika virus in U.S. states — all of which were travel related and 48 involve pregnant women. Another 701 cases were reported in U.S. territories, all but three of which were locally acquired.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases believes that human testing of a Zika vaccine will begin as early as August 2016, and the vaccine could be granted an accelerated  approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before the end of 2017.

Media:

• House Appropriations Committee Press Release
• CNN
• Dallas Morning News
• Fox News
• The Hill