Dear neighbor,

Last week, the Texas delegation sent a letter to President Obama asking why the president isn’t spending the $589 million in Zika funding that Congress has already provided. We’ve already seen more than 50 Zika cases in Texas, and it is time to take responsible action to combat this crisis rather than playing politics with a public health emergency.  

In June, the House passed a bipartisan compromise, H.R. 5243, the Zika Response Appropriations Act, which provided an additional $622.1 million for Zika prevention and research. Despite the fact that the Senate Democrats previously supported this funding level, they have blocked the bill from passing the Senate.

Last week, officials confirmed the first transmission of the Zika virus by local mosquitoes. As of August 5, sixteen people in Florida have already been locally infected by mosquitoes. We cannot wait another day to begin utilizing all available tools to prevent further spread of the Zika virus.  

It is an honor and a privilege to represent you and Texas in the United States House.

Sincerely,

John Culberson