U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez has personal stake in push for Zika funding

U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez can add a personal motivation to his efforts to get Congress to approve federal funding to combat the spread of the Zika virus.

Menendez said this week his daughter is five months' pregnant in Miami with his first grandchild.

Florida had reported 21 cases of people contracting the virus through Tuesday. Zika is primarily transmitted by certain types of tropical mosquitoes and can cause severe brain-related birth defects.

Pregnant women are being cautioned not to visit parts of Miami where the virus has been detected.

The Centers for Disease Control estimates more than 7,300 Americans have been infected.

Last week, Menendez joined Senate Democrats including New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker to ask Republican congressional leaders to call Congress back into session to pass emergency funding legislation.

Associated Press