Pelosi Spokesman Statement on Republican Leadership's Dishonest 'Zika Vector Control Act'

May 16, 2016

Washington, D.C. – Drew Hammill, spokesman for House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, released the following statement on the addition of H.R. 897, the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act to the suspension calendar for Tuesday. In the 113th Congress, the legislation (H.R. 935) failed under suspension of the rules (253-148). At the time, Republicans subsequently rescheduled it under a closed rule to allow passage. In this Congress, this legislation was marked up early last year in the Agriculture Committee as the 'Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act'. The leadership has now changed the name of the bill to the 'Zika Vector Control Act'.

"In a brazenly political act, the Republican leadership is trying to mask gutting the Clean Water Act as having something to do with fighting Zika," said Drew Hammill. "This bill has nothing to do with Zika and everything to do with Republicans' relentless special interest attacks on the Clean Water Act. It will do nothing to stem the growing threat of the Zika virus.

"It is shameful that House Republicans have decided the Zika crisis is nothing more than an opportunity to eliminate protections for the water our children drink," Hammill continued. "The dishonest renaming of this legislation is nothing but more smoke and mirrors to give Republican rank and file cover for failing to act to address this critical public health emergency. This is yet another example of why Speaker Paul Ryan's promises of transparency and openness by the Republican Congress ring hollow."