I wholeheartedly join you in calling on Congress to pass a Zika bill (“Zika toll mounts, Congress dithers,’’ Editorial, Sept. 11). And so do the American people, who believe that politics should not interfere with a comprehensive response to the Zika virus. A poll released in June from the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that the majority of Americans are following the Zika outbreak closely and most also want reproductive health care to be part of the solution.

This kind of public support for a Zika bill that includes family planning is no surprise, since combating this devastating virus will take more than bug spray. It requires giving people the resources they need to make the right health care decisions for themselves and their families, including increased access to family planning services such as birth control, condoms, and education. In fact, family planning is the primary strategy recommended by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reduce Zika-related pregnancy complications.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan should listen to the calls of medical experts, members of their own party, and the American public, and come together to pass a comprehensive funding bill that does not exclude providers who are already on the ground fighting the Zika virus.

Dr. Jennifer Childs-Roshak

President

Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund of Massachusetts

Boston