A large majority of the public says it is important for Congress to pass funding to fight the Zika virus, something that lawmakers have so far failed to do.
{mosads}A poll released Thursday by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 36 percent of the public says Congress passing Zika funding is a “top priority,” with another 40 percent saying it is “important but not a top priority.”
Just 9 percent say it is “not too important,” and 5 percent say funding should not be approved at all.
Both parties have so far been blaming the other for a lack of funding. Congress will take another swing at finding an agreement when it returns next week. Funding could finally come through as lawmakers look to get the issue out of the way before the election and Congress works on a larger bill to fund the government.
The virus, which can cause severe birth defects, has been spreading through mosquitoes in two small areas of Florida. Forty-eight percent of the public said they would not be comfortable traveling to those areas, while 43 percent said they would be comfortable.
Among all healthcare issues, voters said the top priorities for the presidential nominees to discuss are the future of Medicare, and access and affordability of healthcare. Both were top priorities for 66 percent of voters.
In addition, 54 percent said the future of Medicaid was a top priority, 53 percent said the cost of prescription drugs and 52 percent said the future of ObamaCare.
On all of these issues, more voters said they trusted Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton more than GOP counterpart Donald Trump.