Senate Health Committee-Passed Legislation to Spur Treatments and Cures for Zika Heads to President’s Desk

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 12 — Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) made the following statement today as Senate health committee-passed legislation to spur treatments and cures for the Zika virus heads to the president’s desk for signature following today’s passage in the House:

“This legislation will help us take important strides in finding a faster treatment or cure for the Zika virus that appears to be the cause of heartbreaking birth defects, and I thank Senators Franken, Nelson, Isakson and Brown for working in a bipartisan way to meet this urgent need. I was glad to support their important work in the Senate, and I intend to continue working on ways to keep this disease from having a damaging effect on more lives both abroad and in the United States.”

This bipartisan legislation passed the Senate health committee on March 9 and the full Senate on March 17. On Feb. 24, Alexander chaired a Senate health committee hearing to help the public gain a better understanding of the virus and to assess what can be done to prevent its spread. More HERE.

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For access to this release and Chairman Alexander’s other statements, click here.