Zika virusSenate approves $1.1 billion to fight Zika virus

The Senate on Tuesday voted 68-29 to allocate $1.1 billion in emergency funding to fight the Zia virus threat.

The funds fall short of the White House’s request of $1.9 billion, but are significantly more than House Republicans’ $622 million anti-Zika proposal. The House will debate the measure on Wednesday.

The New York Times reports that the funds will be bused for mosquito control, public education, and vaccine development.

“We see the people of this country facing a public health threat,” Senator Marco Rubio (R-Florida) said. Rubio supports the Obama Administration’s full request of $1.9 billion in funding. “Our response should be ‘Let’s deal with it the way that medical experts are saying we need to deal with it.’”

So far there have been 503 travel-related Zika cases in the United States, according to Center for Disease Control statistics, but the virus is expected to spread this summer.

“It’s a targeted approach that focuses on immediate needs while also providing resources for longer-term goals like a vaccine,” Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, told the AP after the vote, adding that the bill “represents a notable departure from our Democratic colleagues’ initial position.”