Congress finally agreed on a bill last night (September 28) to provide $1.1 billion in funding to combat the Zika virus—even after Senate Democrats blocked the bill a day earlier for leaving out the lead water crisis in Flint, Michigan.
State representatives were cutting it close with recess kicking in this weekend and not ending until November 13. The House voted 342-85 after the Senate ultimately passed it on with a 72-26 vote earlier yesterday. All the bill needs now is President Barack Obama’s signature, which he is expected to give tomorrow (September 30).
Though the bill still doesn’t include funding for Flint, Democrats quit resisting after Republican leaders assured them that the Water Resources Development Act would provide funding after the election season when Congress is back in session.
"I’m convinced that there is going to be help for Flint," said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), according to USA TODAY.
The bill also includes $500 million for flood victims in West Virginia, Maryland and Louisiana, which is still reeling from the severe storms that struck the state in August.