U.S. lawmakers seek compromise on Zika virus fundingWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers sought on Wednesday to break a logjam over $1.1 billion in funding to combat the Zika virus, with the Senate possibly considering legislation as soon as next week, even as one congressman toted a jar full of mosquitoes to the House floor to condemn congressional inaction. “Can you imagine the fears and anxieties if the mosquitoes were not in this jar?” Florida Republican David Jolly told his colleagues as he brandished the container holding about 100 of the insects in the House of Representatives chamber. “Members of Congress would run down the hall to the physician’s office to be tested,” added Jolly, whose state is the first in the nation with local transmission of the mosquito-borne virus that has spread through the Americas. The potential Senate Zika measure could advance as part of a broader legislative effort to temporarily keep federal agencies operating in the 2017 fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. Republicans and Democrats huddled separately in closed meetings in both the Senate and House to see if they could reach a compromise during a 19-day work session this month, before lawmakers break for a recess in the weeks before the Nov. 8 U.S. election. Lawmakers returned to work this week after a seven-week summer recess. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters he was in talks with Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid. “We’re looking for a way forward. And I’m hopeful and optimistic that we’ll be able to do that,” McConnell, a Republican, said of both a temporary agency funding bill and Zika money. In February, President Barack Obama asked Congress to approve $1.9 billion in emergency funds to deal with the Zika virus, which can cause severe birth defects when pregnant women become infected. Since then, both parties have backed $1.1 billion as the funding figure. But fights over side issues related to abortion and Obama’s signature healthcare law have bitterly divided the two parties. One of the biggest controversies involves Democrats’ opposition to language, backed by Republicans, that they say would prevent Zika funds for abortion providers like Planned Parenthood, mainly in Puerto Rico. The Miami Herald on Tuesday quoted Senators Marco Rubio of Florida and Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri, who chairs a Senate panel overseeing healthcare funding, suggesting the Planned Parenthood language might have to be dropped in order to reach a deal. Aides to both senators declined to confirm or deny the accuracy of the quotes. Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, asked by Reuters whether she thought Planned Parenthood funding restrictions should be eliminated from Zika legislation, said: “That would be my preference.” Still, some Republicans were resisting a deal that would abandon the Planned Parenthood language in the Zika bill. politicsNews
lawmakers seek compromise nika virus fundingwashington reuters lawmakers sought wednesday break logan billion funding combat nika virus senate possibly considering legislation soon next week even one congressman noted jar full mosquitoes house floor condemn congressional inaction can imagine fears anxieties mosquitoes jar florida republican david jolly told colleagues banished container holding insects house representatives chamber members congress would run hall physician office tested added jolly whose state first nation local transmission virus spread americas the potential senate nika measure could advance part broader legislative effort temporarily keep federal agencies operating fiscal year begins republicans democrats muddled separately closed meetings senate house see could reach compromise work session month lawmakers break recess weeks election lawmakers returned work week summer recess senate majority leader mitch mcconnell told reporters talks senate democratic leader harry reid we looking way forward and i hopeful optimistic able mcconnell republican said temporary agency funding bill nika money in february president barack obama asked congress approve billion emergency funds deal nika virus cause severe birth defects pregnant women become infected since parties backed billion funding figure but fights side issues related abortion obama signature healthcare law bitterly divided two parties one biggest controversies involves democrats opposition language backed republicans say would prevent nika funds abortion providers like planned parenthood mainly puerto rico the miami herald tuesday quoted senators marco rubio florida senator roy blunt missouri chairs senate panel overseeing healthcare funding suggesting planned parenthood language might dropped order reach deal aides senators declined confirm deny accuracy quotes republican senator susan collins maine asked reuters whether thought planned parenthood funding restrictions eliminated nika legislation said that would still republicans resisting deal would abandon planned parenthood language nika bill politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: U.S. lawmakers seek compromise on Zika virus fundingWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers sought on Wednesday to break a logjam over $1.1 billion in funding to combat the Zika virus, with the Senate possibly considering legislation as soon as next week, even as one congressman toted a jar full of mosquitoes to the House floor to condemn congressional inaction. “Can you imagine the fears and anxieties if the mosquitoes were not in this jar?” Florida Republican David Jolly told his colleagues as he brandished the container holding about 100 of the insects in the House of Representatives chamber. “Members of Congress would run down the hall to the physician’s office to be tested,” added Jolly, whose state is the first in the nation with local transmission of the mosquito-borne virus that has spread through the Americas. The potential Senate Zika measure could advance as part of a broader legislative effort to temporarily keep federal agencies operating in the 2017 fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. Republicans and Democrats huddled separately in closed meetings in both the Senate and House to see if they could reach a compromise during a 19-day work session this month, before lawmakers break for a recess in the weeks before the Nov. 8 U.S. election. Lawmakers returned to work this week after a seven-week summer recess. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters he was in talks with Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid. “We’re looking for a way forward. And I’m hopeful and optimistic that we’ll be able to do that,” McConnell, a Republican, said of both a temporary agency funding bill and Zika money. In February, President Barack Obama asked Congress to approve $1.9 billion in emergency funds to deal with the Zika virus, which can cause severe birth defects when pregnant women become infected. Since then, both parties have backed $1.1 billion as the funding figure. But fights over side issues related to abortion and Obama’s signature healthcare law have bitterly divided the two parties. One of the biggest controversies involves Democrats’ opposition to language, backed by Republicans, that they say would prevent Zika funds for abortion providers like Planned Parenthood, mainly in Puerto Rico. The Miami Herald on Tuesday quoted Senators Marco Rubio of Florida and Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri, who chairs a Senate panel overseeing healthcare funding, suggesting the Planned Parenthood language might have to be dropped in order to reach a deal. Aides to both senators declined to confirm or deny the accuracy of the quotes. Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, asked by Reuters whether she thought Planned Parenthood funding restrictions should be eliminated from Zika legislation, said: “That would be my preference.” Still, some Republicans were resisting a deal that would abandon the Planned Parenthood language in the Zika bill. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: lawmakers seek compromise nika virus fundingwashington reuters lawmakers sought wednesday break logan billion funding combat nika virus senate possibly considering legislation soon next week even one congressman noted jar full mosquitoes house floor condemn congressional inaction can imagine fears anxieties mosquitoes jar florida republican david jolly told colleagues banished container holding insects house representatives chamber members congress would run hall physician office tested added jolly whose state first nation local transmission virus spread americas the potential senate nika measure could advance part broader legislative effort temporarily keep federal agencies operating fiscal year begins republicans democrats muddled separately closed meetings senate house see could reach compromise work session month lawmakers break recess weeks election lawmakers returned work week summer recess senate majority leader mitch mcconnell told reporters talks senate democratic leader harry reid we looking way forward and i hopeful optimistic able mcconnell republican said temporary agency funding bill nika money in february president barack obama asked congress approve billion emergency funds deal nika virus cause severe birth defects pregnant women become infected since parties backed billion funding figure but fights side issues related abortion obama signature healthcare law bitterly divided two parties one biggest controversies involves democrats opposition language backed republicans say would prevent nika funds abortion providers like planned parenthood mainly puerto rico the miami herald tuesday quoted senators marco rubio florida senator roy blunt missouri chairs senate panel overseeing healthcare funding suggesting planned parenthood language might dropped order reach deal aides senators declined confirm deny accuracy quotes republican senator susan collins maine asked reuters whether thought planned parenthood funding restrictions eliminated nika legislation said that would still republicans resisting deal would abandon planned parenthood language nika bill politicsnews