Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts on Friday called for better coordination among agencies handling the spread of the Zika virus to ensure “the best science-based solutions are available” to prevent the spread of the mosquitoes carrying the disease. Roberts questioned witness Dr. Anne Schuchat of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at a Senate health committee hearing on the growing public health threat of the Zika virus.

Watch the exchange between Roberts and Dr. Schuchat here

“I believe it’s important that we are ensuring a variety of tools are available to states, towns, and countries,” Roberts said. “The president’s request proposes giving CDC the money to handle vector control and mosquito surveillance programs, but I have concerns about the agency’s expertise and access to the chemicals.”

Roberts continued, “I understand that we have engaged with the World Health Organization to ensure availability of insect repellants to address mosquitos carrying the Zika virus. How is the CDC working with EPA and others to ensure that pesticide products are registered and available for use as tools in addressing this public health situation?”

Roberts also mentioned the use of a genetically-engineered mosquito, which has been tested in Brazil and asked if the United States is considering this technology.

Roberts spoke earlier this week with researchers at Kansas State University Biosecurity Research Institute who are researching Japanese encephalitis, a similar mosquito-borne virus, saying “they impressed upon me how much we simply don’t know about the virus at this time.”