WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats on Thursday blocked a bill that contains funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs and for the nation’s response to the Zika virus for the second time in less than three weeks.

The Democrats’ procedural block of the Fiscal Year 2017 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Zika Appropriations Conference Report came hours after Democrats prevented another bill, one to fund the nation’s defense for next year, from moving forward in the Senate.

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said this after the vote:

"Senate Democrats have once again shown that they are willing to play partisan games with Americans’ health and economic security, as well as at the expense of the brave men and women who serve our nation. America’s veterans and their families have selflessly sacrificed so much to protect this country and defend our freedoms.  I hope that Senate Democrats will reconsider their opposition so that we can provide for the nation’s defense, protect Americans from a threat to their health and economic security, and give our veterans, the finest among us, the care they deserve.”