President Obama charged in his weekly radio address that congressional Republicans don't care much about whether people in the U.S. are hit with the Zika virus.

Obama said he got a letter this year from a woman named Ashley, who was "extremely concerned" about Zika because she's expecting a child. Zika has been linked to brain deformities in children.

But Obama said the GOP didn't seem to care much about women like Ashley.

"Republicans in Congress did not share Ashley's 'extreme concern,' nor that of other Americans expecting children," Obama said. "They said no."

Obama has pushed for a bill authorizing the spending of new money to fight the virus, but Republicans insisted on a bill that used existing funds. Republicans have also argued that they care just as much about Zika as Democrats, and are simply pushing for a bill that doesn't lead to more deficit spending.

But Democrats rejected the GOP bill in Congress, leaving a less-than-optimal situation, according to Obama.

"Instead, we were forced to use resources we need to keep fighting Ebola, cancer, and other diseases," he said. "We took that step because we have a responsibility to protect the American people."

"But that's not a sustainable solution," he added. "And Congress has been on a seven-week recess without doing anything to protect Americans from the Zika virus."

Obama said the government has been doing what it can to control the virus, which has spread to mosquitos southern Florida with the summer weather. Still, he said delays caused by Republicans need to end.

"Republicans in Congress should treat Zika like the threat that it is and make this their first order of business when they come back to Washington after Labor Day," he said. "That means working in a bipartisan way to fully fund our Zika response. A fraction of the funding won't get the job done."