In a FoxNews.com op-ed published today, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) lays out why Senate Democrats, led by Minority Leader Harry Reid, flip-flopped from supporting $1.1 billion in funding to combat the Zika virus to opposing it. Tillis also addresses the talking points Senate Democrats have used to justify their opposition to the Zika funding bill, explaining why their criticism lacks factual merit.
Read Senator Tillis’ op-ed here.
In the op-ed, Tillis also expresses hope that Reid’s retirement next year will help change the toxic culture of gridlock and hyperpartisan brinksmanship in Washington, a culture that Reid helped establish and actively promoted.
Tillis on Harry Reid’s motivation for flip-flopping on Zika funding:
“…During the [conference] legislative process, Harry Reid had a change of heart, determining it would be more politically advantageous to have the funding bill fail so he could turn around and blame Republicans ahead of the November elections.
“Harry Reid’s Senate Democrats quickly fell in line. They have blocked several attempts to pass the Zika funding and get it to the president’s desk, a flip-flop from supporting funding to opposing it. In fact, all but one Senate Democrat who voted for the $1.1 billion to fight Zika in May then voted against it this summer at Reid’s request.
“To provide cover for such craven politicization of what was originally a slam-dunk bipartisan bill, Reid scripted one-sentence sound bites for his Democratic candidates to repeat on the campaign trail when voters demand an explanation for the flip-flopping filibuster.”
Tillis on the long-term consequences of continued Zika funding obstructionism by Senate Democrats and President Obama:
“While President Obama berates Congress to ‘do its job’ and pass Zika funding that his own party is filibustering, the reality is that right now his administration is sitting on hundreds of millions of dollars that can immediately be used to fight Zika.
“The only rationale behind the president’s refusal to make use of those funds is to double-down on Harry Reid’s strategy to place blame on Congressional Republicans.
“This is a dangerous game to play. While we may have close to sufficient funds to combat the Zika virus for the rest of the year, the long-term consequences of continued Democratic obstructionism of Zika funding will be severe.
“The National Institutes of Health is currently developing a vaccine for the Zika virus, but is running low on funds. Unless Congress approves the $1.1 billion in funding, the vaccine effort could stall, and Zika will be back next year and emerge as a crisis for many more Americans.”
Tillis on Harry Reid’s failed legacy of hyperpartisanship:
“Harry Reid’s closing scene in the long drama of his failed tenure as Democrat Leader may very well be his success in killing Zika funding legislation. If his obstructionism succeeds, the consequences will reverberate in communities across America long after he retires next January. People’s lives are literally at stake.
“Let’s hope that Reid’s Democratic colleagues muster up the political courage to stand up to him and put the welfare of the American people ahead of reckless election-year political games.
“Regardless of our ideological leanings or partisan affiliations, we should all hope that the end of Harry Reid’s tenure in the Senate will also bring an end to the culture of hyperpartisan brinksmanship that he established in the Senate. It’s a toxic culture that has brought us to the point where Congress can’t even pass a bill to save the lives and health of the most vulnerable among us.
“Let’s hope, for the sake of our nation, that we can and will do better.”
Read the full op-ed here.
Read Senator Tillis’ op-ed here.
In the op-ed, Tillis also expresses hope that Reid’s retirement next year will help change the toxic culture of gridlock and hyperpartisan brinksmanship in Washington, a culture that Reid helped establish and actively promoted.
Tillis on Harry Reid’s motivation for flip-flopping on Zika funding:
“…During the [conference] legislative process, Harry Reid had a change of heart, determining it would be more politically advantageous to have the funding bill fail so he could turn around and blame Republicans ahead of the November elections.
“Harry Reid’s Senate Democrats quickly fell in line. They have blocked several attempts to pass the Zika funding and get it to the president’s desk, a flip-flop from supporting funding to opposing it. In fact, all but one Senate Democrat who voted for the $1.1 billion to fight Zika in May then voted against it this summer at Reid’s request.
“To provide cover for such craven politicization of what was originally a slam-dunk bipartisan bill, Reid scripted one-sentence sound bites for his Democratic candidates to repeat on the campaign trail when voters demand an explanation for the flip-flopping filibuster.”
Tillis on the long-term consequences of continued Zika funding obstructionism by Senate Democrats and President Obama:
“While President Obama berates Congress to ‘do its job’ and pass Zika funding that his own party is filibustering, the reality is that right now his administration is sitting on hundreds of millions of dollars that can immediately be used to fight Zika.
“The only rationale behind the president’s refusal to make use of those funds is to double-down on Harry Reid’s strategy to place blame on Congressional Republicans.
“This is a dangerous game to play. While we may have close to sufficient funds to combat the Zika virus for the rest of the year, the long-term consequences of continued Democratic obstructionism of Zika funding will be severe.
“The National Institutes of Health is currently developing a vaccine for the Zika virus, but is running low on funds. Unless Congress approves the $1.1 billion in funding, the vaccine effort could stall, and Zika will be back next year and emerge as a crisis for many more Americans.”
Tillis on Harry Reid’s failed legacy of hyperpartisanship:
“Harry Reid’s closing scene in the long drama of his failed tenure as Democrat Leader may very well be his success in killing Zika funding legislation. If his obstructionism succeeds, the consequences will reverberate in communities across America long after he retires next January. People’s lives are literally at stake.
“Let’s hope that Reid’s Democratic colleagues muster up the political courage to stand up to him and put the welfare of the American people ahead of reckless election-year political games.
“Regardless of our ideological leanings or partisan affiliations, we should all hope that the end of Harry Reid’s tenure in the Senate will also bring an end to the culture of hyperpartisan brinksmanship that he established in the Senate. It’s a toxic culture that has brought us to the point where Congress can’t even pass a bill to save the lives and health of the most vulnerable among us.
“Let’s hope, for the sake of our nation, that we can and will do better.”
Read the full op-ed here.
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