DeLauro Reintroduces the Public Health Emergency Fund Act

Statement

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) today reintroduced the Public Health Emergency Fund Act, which would fund the existing public health emergency fund with $5 billion.

"As we fight the second major public health emergency in two years, first Ebola and now the Zika virus, having resources in the emergency fund is essential to enacting an effective response strategy. Rather than waiting for money to be requested, and then having a debate in Congress on funding, we should allocate resources ahead of time in order to more successfully fight the spread of disease and save lives," said Rosa DeLauro.

"The research and treatment measures developed by the National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are invaluable to our response to diseases like Zika and we cannot allow our response to be slowed by Congressional lethargy," continued DeLauro. "We have a moral duty to address these crises and we absolutely must address the funding ahead of time, rather than in the midst of them. Congress has already enacted the fund. Now all we need to do is fund it."

Source