Senate GOP shoots for quick action on Zika funding bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats say top GOP lawmakers are proposing to partially fund President Barack Obama's request for money to fight the Zika virus.

The $1.1 billion measure circulating Wednesday comes in advance of an Appropriations panel meeting on Thursday and was being worked on with Democrats in hopes of winning their support.

Republicans controlling Congress have increasingly come under pressure to respond to Obama's $1.9 billion request to combat Zika, which can cause grave birth defects such as microcephaly and is expected to worsen in coming months.

The Appropriations panel has two measures before it on Thursday and there is also a widely-backed measure funding energy and water projects pending on the Senate floor.