Florida Republican brings jar full of mosquitos to House floor, slams GOP refusal to approve Zika funding

Responding to Republicans’ refusal to pass funding to combat the Zika virus, a member of their own party, Florida GOP Rep. David Jolly showed up to the House floor with a jar full of 100 mosquitos from his state.

“This is the reason for the urgency, this is the reason for the fear,” Jolly said, holding up the jar.

“Mr. Speaker, it is time to act,” the Florida Republican proclaimed. “The politics of Zika have gone on far too long. The politics of Zika are wrong.”

“I brought these mosquitoes today to convey that fear and that anxiety of millions of Americans, of Floridians,” he continued. “Can you imagine the fear and anxiety in this chamber if these mosquitoes were outside this jar, not inside this jar.”

“Members of Congress would run down the hall to the physician’s office to be tested. They would spray themselves before coming down here. This is the fear of Floridians! Right here!”

“The Zika vote came as the mosquito-borne virus, which can also be transmitted sexually, spreads widely in the Puerto Rico and some US states,” a report from CNN stated. “Democrats blocked the bill because they say it included a provision to prevent funding for Planned Parenthood and no longer included a provision in the House bill banning Confederate flags from veterans’ cemeteries.”

“Republicans were more interested in attacking Planned Parenthood and flying the Confederate flag — can’t make this stuff up, that’s really the truth — than protecting women and babies from this awful virus,” Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said after the vote.

Watch the video below uploaded to YouTube by Rep. Jolly:

[Mashable]

Sky Palma

Before launching DeadState back in 2012, Sky Palma has been blogging about politics, social issues and religion for over a decade. He lives in Los Angeles and also enjoys Brazilian jiu jitsu, chess, music and art.

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