Senate vote sets up tricky talks on anti-Zika bills

WASHINGTON -- The Senate on Thursday approved its $1.1 billion plan to combat the Zika virus, setting the stage for difficult negotiations with House Republicans over how much money to devote to fighting the virus and whether to cut Ebola funding to help pay for it.

The 68-30 vote added the Zika measure to an unrelated spending bill and follows party-line passage of a separate $622 million House bill Wednesday.

The White House has signaled President Barack Obama would accept the Senate compromise measure but has issued a veto threat on the House bill, saying it doesn't provide enough money.

The Zika virus can cause severe birth defects and can be spread by mosquitoes and sexual contact.

The most recent statistics by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say more than 500 people in the continental U.S. have contracted the virus.

So far, U.S. cases are travel-related but it is feared the virus will spread more widely as mosquito season heats up.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Tom Frieden said the House measure is "just not enough" and would hamper the CDC's ability to monitor women and babies with the virus over coming years, fight the mosquitoes that spread it and develop better diagnostic tests.

The Senate broke a filibuster of the legislation Tuesday. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., played a key role in the outcome.

The underlying bill, funding transportation, veterans and housing programs, easily passed shortly after the vote on Zika.

The House passed a companion veterans spending bill Thursday as well.

The key difference between the competing versions is House GOP conservatives insisted spending cuts accompany the measure rather than adding its cost to the budget deficit.

Obama and the Senate want to declare Zika an emergency and add the funding on top of current budget limits.

The House bill also only provides enough money to fight Zika through the Sept. 30 end of the budget year.

Obama requested $1.9 billion three months ago for the fight against Zika.