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Costa Supports Funding Bill for Zika, Veterans and to Keep Government Open

September 29, 2016

Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Jim Costa (CA-16) released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the Fiscal Year 2017 Continuing Resolution. The legislation includes the FY17 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act as well as funding for Zika response efforts. The Continuing Resolution will maintain government funding at its current spend rate through December 9, 2016.

“Passing the Fiscal Year 2017 Continuing Resolution took bipartisan effort and hard work from individuals on both sides of the aisle,” said Rep. Costa. “We are averting a government shutdown and providing secure, full year funding, to better serve our nation’s veterans. However, I am extremely frustrated by Republicans’ desire to play politics with keeping our government funded and providing money for Zika response and research. The $1.1 billion for Zika response is long overdue, and Congress should never again withhold funding to address a serious public health and safety issue in order to leverage other political priorities.”

Costa continued saying, “As my House colleagues and I go back to our districts, I will be continuing my conversations with them and others in the Senate, Administration, and Governor’s office to get a California water bill enacted because the livelihoods of the people in San Joaquin Valley depend on it. When Congress returns in November, I am hopeful that Republicans and Democrats will come together to pass California water legislation as well as a spending measure that funds the government for the remainder of the fiscal year.”

FY2017 Continuing Resolution contains:

  • $1.1 billion to respond to the Zika virus
    • $394 million to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to support mosquito eradication, surveillance, laboratory testing, education & outreach, as well as to reimburse state and local public health departments.
    • $397 million to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to support advanced research and the development of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics.
    • $141 million to support health care services.
    • $145.5 million to support international health care services, including vector control activities and technologies, vaccines, diagnostics, and building up health care infrastructure.
    • $30 million for personnel costs for the Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development.
  • $7.7 billion for Military Construction
    • $5 billion for Military Construction funding for the Active Components.
    • $672.6 million for Reserve Components.
    • $1.3 billion for Family Housing construction.
    • $240 million for the Base Realignment and Closure account.
  • $74.4 billion for Veterans Affairs
    • $66.4 billion for VA medical services accounts.
    • $1.3 billion for medical services and Medical facilities.
    • $675 million for Medical and Prosthetic Research.
    • $528 million for Construction and Major Projects.
    • $345 million for VA General Administration.
    • $4.2 billion for VA Information Technology.
    • Disability Claims Backlog – The bill continues monthly reporting requirements from regional offices on disability claims processing performance and quality reports on remediation efforts at the poorest performing regional offices.