This week: Zika, Puerto Rico fights loom ahead of recess

Majority Leader Mitch McConnellMitch McConnellJuan Williams: GOP sounds the sirens over TrumpThis week: Zika, Puerto Rico fights loom ahead of recessTrump flexes new digital muscleMORE (R-Ky.) teed up a procedural vote on the House-Senate deal, which is attached to a larger military and veterans spending bill.

The agreement would give the Obama administration $1.1 billion to fight the Zika virus heading into summer.

The House passed the legislation late last week over the protest of Democrats before leaving town early for the break.

McConnell will need 60 votes to get the legislation over an initial procedural hurdle, expected on Tuesday.

He’s also tried to stamp down criticism of the current deal, saying it is the “only chance to put Zika control money to work right now.”

But Senate Democrats have balked at supporting the legislation, making it increasingly likely Congress won't be able to get an agreement to Obama's desk by the July 4 recess.

Senate Minority Leader Harry ReidHarry ReidWeek ahead: Court watchers await abortion ruling; Zika fight heads to SenateThis week: Zika, Puerto Rico fights loom ahead of recessHispanic Caucus PAC looks to flex its muscles in 2016MORE (D-Nev.) called the GOP-backed deal a "disgrace."

"It's a mockery of how Congress should treat an emergency," he said from the Senate floor last week. "This is something that I'm sorry to say is part of the McConnell-[Donald] Trump tactics we've found lately."

Though the Senate previously approved $1.1 billion in Zika money, Democrats take issue with how the current House-Senate agreement is paid for.

In addition to taking money currently earmarked to fight the Ebola virus, the GOP bill would also likely restart a fight over Planned Parenthood because it includes language that prevents funding from going to it and other family planning groups.

If Republicans are able to win over enough Democratic support—an uphill battle—they’ll also face opposition from Obama.

"The president would veto it if it ever got to his desk," White House spokesman Eric Schultz told reporters.

Puerto Rico debt crisis

The Senate is going down to the wire on a House-passed Puerto Rico relief bill ahead of a critical July 1st deadline.

GOP leadership is pledging to take up the legislation this month, giving them a matter of days to get a proposal to President Obama’s desk before leaving for the holiday break.

Though it passed overwhelmingly in the lower chamber, Senate Democrats have steadfastly refused to publicly warm up to the legislation.

Reid downplayed suggestions that Democrats would use procedural tactics to stall the bill, but said lawmakers had “some serious concerns.”

“We need some amendments to make sure that people understand what is not in that bill,” he told reporters last week.

According to Reid, one change Democrats will push for will relate to the federal oversight board created by the House legislation. Democrats argue the board, with members selected by the president and Congress, cuts Puerto Ricans out of deciding the direction of the island territory.

Any changes to the legislation would require it to be sent back to the House. The move would guarantee that legislation doesn’t reach Obama’s desk until next month.

Alejandro Garcia-Padilla, the governor of Puerto Rico, is urging senators to pass the House bill ahead of the deadline to make a roughly $2 billion debt payment.

“We do not have the cash to make those payments. A default of that magnitude... will affect our ability to pay our public workers, including police, nurses and therapists for special need children,” he wrote in a letter last week.

Treasury Secretary Jack LewJack LewThis week: Zika, Puerto Rico fights loom ahead of recessFed, Group of 7 monitoring markets after Brexit voteSenate Dem won't rule out blocking Puerto Rico debt reliefMORE also met with Senate Democrats in a closed-door meeting urging them to support the House bill.

Sen. Robert MenendezRobert MenendezThis week: Zika, Puerto Rico fights loom ahead of recessOvernight Cybersecurity: Senate narrowly rejects expanding FBI surveillance powersSenate narrowly rejects new FBI surveillance MORE (D-N.J.)—a vocal opponent of the House bill who has introduced his own alternative proposal—isn’t ruling out placing a “hold” on the Puerto Rico bill. The procedural move that would require McConnell to file cloture and eat up limited floor time.

But he added that “there's no reason to put a hold on the bill if you're given opportunities for amendments.”

Gun control

Supporters of a compromise bill to block suspected terrorists from being able to buy a gun are searching for a path forward.

A bipartisan proposal from Sen. Susan CollinsSusan CollinsThis week: Zika, Puerto Rico fights loom ahead of recessGun-control supporters plan next steps versus NRAHouse Republicans pushing gun control billMORE (R-Maine) survived a test vote late last week. Senators voted 46-52 against tabling the measure, which would have effectively pigeonholed it.

The legislation would allow the attorney general to block the sale of firearms to anyone on the no-fly list or what's called the selectee list, which designates people for additional screening airports.

It would also allow the decision to be appealed and would notify the FBI if someone who was the subject of a terrorism investigation within the past five years buys a gun.

Senate Democrats tried to gain momentum off of Thursday’s vote demanding that McConnell gives the proposal—being offered as an amendment to the Commerce, Justice and Science appropriations bill—a “real vote.”

"[McConnell] has a responsibility to bring the Collins' bill to this floor for a real vote,” said Reid, referring to last week’s floor drama as a “show vote.”

The Republican leader hasn’t moved to end debate on the broader spending bill, which could give supporters more time to press the issue in the wake of the worst mass shooting in U.S. history and the sit-in by House Democrats.

But, with the Senate measure failing to get 60 votes it appears to be stuck in legislative limbo. According to Reuters, Sen. John CornynJohn CornynJuan Williams: GOP sounds the sirens over TrumpThis week: Zika, Puerto Rico fights loom ahead of recessGun-control supporters plan next steps versus NRAMORE (R-Texas), the Senate's No. 2 Republican, told reporters that he didn't expect the Senate to have another vote on gun control.

Asked about additional votes on the Collins’ proposal, Don Stewart, a spokesman for McConnell, said “I don’t have any scheduling announcements on that (or the other amendments that have majority support but not 60).”

But supporters of the gun control bill are showing no signs of backing down.

Collins said late last week that there were approximately 10 GOP senators that are “on the cusp” of supporting her amendment, and that she planned to “keep working” to try to get additional support.

“I'm very pleased with where we stand. Obviously, I'd like to get to 60, but this is a good day," Collins told reporters after last week's vote.

But critics—including GOP senators—argue that many people on the terrorist watchlist are put there unfairly and so the proposal would infringe on the Second Amendment.

The measure has also drawn criticism from outside groups on both sides, including the National Rifle Association and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

The Senate is heading toward a fight over funding to combat the Zika virus ahead of the July 4th recess

By Jordain Carney

This week: Zika, Puerto Rico fights loom ahead of recess