U.S. Senate Democratic leader dismisses Republicans' Zika funding proposal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid said an agreement announced on Wednesday by House of Representatives Republicans on $1.1 billion in new funding to fight the Zika virus was not a serious response to the threat. "A narrowly partisan proposal that cuts off women's access to birth control, shortchanges veterans and rescinds Obamacare funds to cover the cost is not a serious response to the threat from the Zika virus," Reid said in a statement. (Reporting by Susan Cornwell; Writing by Mohammad Zargham; Editing by Eric Beech)