The American Gaming Association and more than 100 organizations recently wrote to every member of Congress, urging them to pass legislation providing increased funding to fight the Zika virus in tourist-dependent areas. AGA Vice President of Government Affairs Whit Askew wrote, “A failure by Congress to act quickly jeopardizes not only health but the U.S. economy. The number of individuals with the Zika virus has grown and there have been multiple instances of local transmission.” He added, “Funding for Zika efforts will ramp up local responses to the growing threat, support an acceleration of research and development on vaccines as well as advanced approaches to mosquito control.”
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, current funding for fighting Zika will run out at the end of September. Members of both political parties said Zika funding will be a top priority as Congress reconvenes this month and adjourns before Election Day.
Casino gaming is a $240 billion industry that supports 1.7 million jobs and generates $38 billion in tax revenue across 40 states. The U.S. travel, a top-10 employer in 49 states and the District of Columbia, has an economic impact of $2.1 trillion.
