Aides: Congress makes progress on Zika, spending
WASHINGTON (AP) — A long impasse that has delayed money to combat Zika for months neared an end Thursday as congressional aides said Republicans would relent and let Planned Parenthood affiliated clinics share in new funding to fight the virus.
The plan by Senate GOP negotiators would allow Zika money in Puerto Rico, where the virus is spreading widely, to be distributed to clinics affiliated with Planned Parenthood, a group many Republicans dislike because of the abortion services it provides.
The controversy erupted in June after Republicans limited distribution of health grants for Puerto Rico to entities like public health providers and hospitals, a restriction that Republicans acknowledge was aimed at making sure Planned Parenthood was ineligible to receive any of the funding.
Republicans said Democrats were obstinate in the talks and exaggerated the impact of several GOP provisions, including a cut of $543 million to set up health insurance exchanges in U.S. territories that was never used and is privately considered by Democrats as a painless way to pay for the Zika measures.