Today, nearly four months after President Obama called for $1.9 billion in federal relief for the Zika virus, Senate Republicans disgracefully put forward a partisan bill that fails to adequately provide funding to combat the crisis. This bill, which has been shamelessly politicized by Marco Rubio and his Republican allies, includes provisions to strip Planned Parenthood of funding and overturns a bipartisan ban on displaying the Confederate flag in national military cemeteries. 

In response, Florida Democratic Party Chair Allison Tant made the following statement:  

“Instead of focusing on the fight against Zika, Marco Rubio and his Republican allies have packed this bill full of punitive measures that make it all the more difficult for women to receive access to healthcare during this crisis,” said FDP Chair Allison Tant. “In Florida, more than 200 cases of Zika, along with one infant born with microcephaly, have been confirmed to date. It’s simply unconscionable that Marco Rubio and his Republican allies would rather score political points with the far right than work with Democrats to fund efforts to stop the spread of this virus.  

“His disgraceful support of this bill confirms what Floridians already know: Marco Rubio is only in this for himself — no matter the consequences.”