Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, 2016/Zika virus

Hillary Clinton announced her presidential run on April 12, 2015.^[1]

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Hillary Clinton
Democratic presidential nominee
Running mate: Tim Kaine

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This page was current as of the 2016 election.

See below what Hillary Clinton and the 2016 Democratic Party Platform said about the Zika virus.

CANDIDATE SUMMARY
Clinton called on Congress to vote on President Barack Obama's request for $1.8 billion in emergency appropriations to combat the threat of the Zika virus.
Clinton sent staffers to Puerto Rico to learn about its response to the Zika virus.

Clinton on the Zika virus

On August 9, 2016, Hillary Clinton urged Congress to return for a special session to pass legislation addressing the Zika virus. “I am very disappointed that the Congress went on recess before actually agreeing on what they would do to put the resources into this fight, and I really am hoping that they will pay attention. In fact, I would very much urge the leadership of Congress to call people back for a special session and get a bill passed," she said.^[2]
Clinton released a statement on the Zika virus on March 18, 2016, where she called on Congress to take action on President Barack Obama's request for $1.8 billion in emergency appropriations. "Instead, Congressional Republicans said the Administration should use funds left over from fighting Ebola — even though that money is still being used. Why would we lower our defenses against one public health threat in order to meet another one? That’s senseless and dangerous. Congress needs to provide the funds to fight Zika now," she wrote. Clinton said the funds should be spent on developing a rapid diagnostic test for Zika and a vaccine, researching the connection between Zika and microcephaly, and mosquito control and abatement.^[3]
In April 2016, Clinton sent three staffers to Puerto Rico to research how the island had been impacted by the Zika virus and to observe how local clinics educated the population about the outbreak.^[4]
Read what other presidential candidates said about epidemic control.

The 2016 Democratic Party Platform on epidemic control

“	Global Health "America has made critical investments in global health, including in the areas of maternal and child health, HIV and AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. It is vital that we continue this work—which has saved millions of lives around the world and is essential to our nation’s health security. While the Republican Party refuses to fund important measures that could contain and address the Zika pandemic, Democrats are ready to limit the reach of Zika—just as we did with Ebola—and support funding for diagnostic tests for the virus, vaccine, and treatment. We will also prepare for potential pandemics, like avian influenza and H1N1, by working with first responders and health officials to reduce the risks associated with unintentional or deliberate outbreaks of infectious diseases."^[5]	”
—2016 Democratic Party Platform^[6]

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