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September 13, 2016 the Honorable Mitch Mcconnell Senate Majority September 13, 2016 The Honorable Mitch McConnell The Honorable Paul Ryan Senate Majority Leader Speaker U.S. Senate U.S. House of Representatives 317 Russell Senate Office Building 1233 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20515 The Honorable Harry Reid The Honorable Nancy Pelosi Minority Leader Minority Leader U.S. Senate U.S. House of Representatives 522 Hart Senate Office Building 233 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510 Dear Majority Leader McConnell, Senator Reid, Speaker Ryan, and Leader Pelosi, We write to express the urgent need for supplemental funding to contain and address the Zika virus in our cities. As the mosquito-borne virus rapidly spreads in the U.S. and its territories, we urge congressional leadership to prioritize passing the Zika funding package that President Obama has requested during this work period. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 16,800 cases of the Zika virus have been reported in the U.S. and its territories. Zika usually causes mild symptoms, such as fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis, lasting for several days to a week. However, this virus is far more dangerous for pregnant women, whose fetuses can develop the birth defect microcephaly if the mother contracts the virus. Thus far, 1595 pregnant women in the U.S. and its territories (624 in US, 971 in territories) have tested positive for Zika, which is associated with debilitating birth defects in the form of brain damage or atrophy. In the past two weeks, the Zika virus has been detected in trapped mosquitoes in the continental US for the first time. Congress’ persistent inaction has forced the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to use more than $10 million of its funding for cancer and heart disease research for Zika. In total, $670 million has been diverted from other health priorities to fund Zika research. In addition, the CDC estimates that it will run out of funding to combat Zika at the end of this month, just as mosquito season reaches its peak. The critical resources that President Obama has requested would help prevent the spread of the virus by allowing local governments to work in cooperation with the CDC and the NIH to enhance mosquito control, conduct tests, and deploy a critical Zika vaccine. We urge Congress to work together to address this pressing health issue immediately upon your return from August recess. Sincerely, Mayor Greg Stanton Mayor Philip Levine Phoenix, Arizona Miami Beach, Florida Mayor Bill de Blasio Mayor Bob Buckhorn New York City, New York Tampa, Florida Mayor Eric Garcetti Mayor Jim Kenney Los Angeles, California Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Mayor Rahm Emanuel Mayor Martin J. Walsh Chicago, Illinois Boston, Massachusetts Mayor Stephanie Rawlings Blake Mayor Muriel E. Bowser Baltimore, Maryland Washington, D.C. Mayor Mitch Landrieu Mayor Edwin M. Lee New Orleans, Louisiana San Francisco, California Mayor Peter Bober Mayor Jennifer Roberts Hollywood, Florida Charlotte, North Carolina Mayor Sly James Mayor Chris Koos Kansas City, Missouri Normal, Illinois Mayor Francis Slay Mayor Mario Avery St. Louis, Missouri Fairburn, Georgia Mayor Mckinley Price Mayor Patrick J. Furey Newport News, Virginia Torrance, California Mayor Toni Harp Mayor Jacqueline Goodall New Haven, Connecticut Forest Heights, Maryland Mayor Charles Smith Mayor Hattie Edwards Woodmere Village, Ohio Eutaw, Alabama Mayor William Johnson Mayor John Giles Holly Hill, South Carolina Mesa, Arizona Mayor Diane Delaware Mayor Jennifer Vidrine Yazoo City, Mississippi Ville Platte, Louisiana Mayor Luke Bronin Mayor Donald Villere Hartford, Connecticut Mandeville, Louisiana Mayor Anthony Lamonte Mayor Susie Giles Tickfaw, Louisiana Hosston, Louisiana Mayor Paul Champagne Mayor Ken J. Silver, Ed. D. Lockport, Louisiana Southfield, Michigan Mayor Bill Flaute Mayor Kate Stewart Riverside, Ohio Takoma Park, Maryland 3 Mayor Debbie Goettel Mayor Michael VanSchoick Richfield, Minnesota Vivian, Louisiana Mayor Karen Kirks Alexander Mayor David H. Bradford Salisbury, North Carolina Muscle Shoals, Alaska Mayor Chris Watts Mayor David Baker Denton, Texas Kenmore, Washington Mayor Stan Koci Mayor Jason Ashmore Bedford, Ohio Sesser, Illinois Mayor Chris Roberts Mayor Lauren Meister Shoreline, Washington West Hollywood, California Mayor Jeffrey Slavin Mayor Johnny L. DuPree Somerset, Maryland Hattiesburg, Mississippi Mayor Ken Miyagishima Mayor Billy Ray McKelvy Las Cruces, New Mexico De Queen, Arkansas Mayor Derrick Freeman Mayor Nelda Martinez Port Arthur, Texas Corpus Christi, Texas Mayor Tim A. Scott Mayor C.M. Mitchell Carlisle, Pennsylvania Galax, Virginia 4 Mayor Charles James Mayor Karen Best Sunset, Louisiana Branson, Missouri Mayor Teddy P. Gros Mayor Mike Robertson Fordoche, Louisiana Bunkie, Louisiana Mayor Mark Mitchell Mayor Shelley Welsch Tempe, Arizona University City, Missouri Mayor Denny Doyle Mayor Glenn Hendricks Beaverton, Oregon Sunnyvale, California Mayor Susan Haynie Mayor Mark Meadows Boca Raton, Florida East Lansing, Michigan Mayor Sherrie MsMac Jacobs Mayor Lydia E. Lavelle Ferriday, Louisiana Carrboro, North Carolina Mayor Andy Hafen Mayor Rusty Bailey Henderson, Nevada Riverside, California Mayor Vivian Covington Mayor Lloyd Glascock University Park, Illinois Albany, Louisiana Mayor Chris Coleman Mayor Nancy Lyons Saint Paul, Minnesota Diamond Bar, California 5 Mayor Irma Thompson Gordon Mayor Bill Young Kentwood, Louisiana Walterboro, South Carolina Mayor Betsy Hodges Mayor Art Brooke Minneapolis, Minnesota Ward, Arkansas Mayor Smith Joseph North Miami, Florida 6 .
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