House lawmakers have cleared a $622.1 million funding package for response efforts that aim to help mitigate the threat from the Zika virus and prevent its spread.The Zika Response Appropriations Act received a vote of 241-184 to approve fiscal year 2016 funds for agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services, State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development to help develop an anti-Zika vaccine, the House Appropriations Committee said Wednesday.
The full Senate passed a bipartisan bill on Tuesday to approve $1.1 billion in emergency funds intended to help contain the spread of Zika virus and that legislation must be reconciled with the House’s version, CNN reported.
CNN also says the White House asked for $1.9 billion in emergency anti-Zika response funds in February and President Barack Obama has threatened to veto the House-approved bill.
