Congress for investing more than $1.8 billion to fight Zika in the United States and other countries. The republican lawmakers requested that democratic government should better make use of funds from unused $2.7 billion funds issued for Ebola in 2014.

There is no evidence yet discovered about whether Zika virus causes microcephaly, a condition marked by unusually small heads that can result in developmental problems. Brazil has so far experienced more than 500 cases of microcephaly, which causes birth defects. The country relates microcephaly in children to presence of Zika virus in mothers. Brazil is studying more than 3,900 suspected cases of microcephaly.

Zika virus has caused number of birth defects all across Brazil and has penetrated many South American countries and territories. Due to lack of investigation in this area, there is no vaccine devised so far. When Obama administration asked for funds to research on the infection, three key Republican lawmakers in the House of Representatives recommended making use of funds from Ebola funds.

Representative Hal Rogers, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, and Representatives Kay Granger and Tom Cole, who are appropriators for Health and Human Services and the State Department, made their request in a letter to the White House on Thursday.

"If the aim of the request is to mount as rapid a response as possible, it is clear to us that the most expeditious way to identify the needed funding is to maximize the use of unobligated funds previously provided for Ebola," said the lawmakers.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said that unspent Ebola money was needed to build up the public health infrastructure of countries overseas to help prevent future epidemics and it will be unwise to take away money from ongoing efforts. Earnest also included that they will introduce plans to redirect some funds from Ebola funds to fight Zika, but new funding is still a need.