via @learyreports
WASHINGTON -- Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson broke with his party this afternoon to support a stop-gap budget deal that contains $1.1 billion to fight Zika.
The measure did not include funding for Flint, Mich., which drew Democratic opposition. But Nelson and three other Democrats voted to advance the bill, which failed.
"While I support the people of Flint, my priority is the people of Florida. This bill provides a clean $1.1 billion to help stop the spread of Zika virus with no political riders, and I will support it," Nelson said last week.
Sen. Marco Rubio also supported the bill.
"Today's vote proves some Senate Democrats are looking for any excuse to shut down the government because they think it will help them in the upcoming election," Rubio said. "Bill Nelson and I came together to support this bill to fund the government and the fight against Zika, and Senate Democrats should follow our lead and quit playing political games."
--ALEX LEARY, Tampa Bay Times
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