{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://vela.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-filemon-vela-and-texas-senator-eddie-lucio-issue-statement", "Congressman Filemon Vela and Texas Senator Eddie Lucio Issue Statement on Zika Case in Cameron County", "2016-11-28", "2016", "2016-11", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Filemon Vela", "V000132", "vela.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PRESS CONTACT:  \n\tNovember 28, 2016\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Brenda Rangel 956.564.1527\n Congressman Filemon Vela and Texas Senator Eddie Lucio Issue Statement on Zika Case in Cameron County \nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Representative Filemon Vela (D-Brownsville) joined Texas Senator Eddie Lucio (D-Brownsville) today to issue a statement on the recent discovery of a Zika Virus case in Cameron County:\n\"I wish the local patient diagnosed with the Zika virus a speedy recovery. \u00a0On September 28th, Congress passed and the President signed into law a $1.1 Billion funding package to combat the Zika virus. \u00a0As required by this legislation, \u00a0the federal agencies charged with confronting the crisis submitted a spending plan to Congress, and in November, Congress released $133 million to federal and state agencies to combat Zika. \u00a0More funds are scheduled for distribution within the next month. \u00a0Recently, I joined Senator Lucio to invite Dr. John Hellerstedt, Commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services and Center for Disease Control and Prevention officials to the Rio Grande Valley so that they could understand the urgency of addressing the Zika Virus here in South Texas. We look forward to that discussion and urge federal and state officials to act swiftly to ensure that we limit the risk of further exposure to residents of the Rio Grande Valley and across this nation.\"\n\"I am greatly concerned that we have a localized Zika transmission case in Cameron County.\u00a0\u00a0The fact of the matter is, as unfortunate as it may be, counties at the border and along the southern coast are on the front lines of the Zika threat.\u00a0 This is why our state and federal resources need to be focused here,\u201d said Lucio. \u201cAt the very least, state and federal funding should be spent in regions of higher risk of Zika transmission to improve Texas' response to better protect our constituents and unborn children from the menacing virus.\u00a0 Our thoughts and prayers are with our constituent and her family.\"\n\u00a0\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://vela.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-filemon-vela-and-texas-senator-eddie-lucio-issue-statement"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.9865010399371386, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}