In Letter, Joe Garcia and Rep. Filemon Vela Call on Republican Leadership in Congress to Reconvene and take action on Zika

Today, former Congressman Joe Garcia and Congressman Filemon Vela (D-TX) sent a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan calling on him to reconvene the House of Representatives and to call a vote on the full $1.9 billion plan to combat Zika.

“Americans look to Congress for leadership in times of crisis and they deserve action on Zika now.  Americans are angry at Congress because they would rather lob insults than take action on issues that matter.  For once, we need to put politics aside and equip our federal and state agencies with the necessary tools to combat this public health emergency,” said Joe Garcia, Candidate for Florida’s 26th Congressional District. “Rep. Vela has been a strong and independent leader for his community and I am happy to work with him to move this issue.”

Garcia has called on Congress to fully fund the effort against Zika when Republicans tried to pass legislation which only funded a third of the resources needed to fight Zika while cutting funding used to fight other diseases. Later, Republicans tried to add rider language to a $1.1. billion Zika bill that would have prevented Planned Parenthood from providing women the health services they need.

In the strongly worded letter to Republican Speaker Paul Ryan, Rep. Vela and Joe Garcia stated: “Now is not the time for vacation. Not when Americans all across the country face the growing dangers of the Zika virus. Not when soon to be mothers in Florida, Texas, California, New York, Puerto Rico and across the nation feel unsafe walking in their own neighborhoods.”

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