Off with mask? Not so soon, if you are a member of Congress.
Despite updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that fully vaccinated people can “resume activities that you did before the epidemic” without masks or social distinctions, the home Members of K are still required to keep their masks on. Room other than to speak during the debate.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) told CNN reporter Manu Raju that she would not change the rules despite the CDC’s new recommendations.
“No,” he said, According to raju On twitter “Are they all vaccinated?”
Hours later, Capital Attending Physician Brian Monahan confirmed in a memo that the Chamber’s mask requirement “will remain unchanged until all members and floor staff are fully vaccinated.” Monahan said the new CDC Guidance applies to House office buildings and all other areas.
Pelosi estimated in late April that about 75 percent of the House members had been vaccinated. She also said that she would not force the remaining members to vaccinate, citing privacy concerns.
“I can’t go to the Capitol doctor and say, ‘Tell me the names of people who haven’t been vaccinated, so I can go to encourage them, or to encourage others to get them vaccinated.’ I told you about it, ”he told reporters at the time. “So we can’t do that. But you would hope that science would guide them to get vaccinated to protect themselves, their family members and good colleagues in the workplace. And the sooner, the better for everything. “
Republicans accused the speaker of being over-cautious, with one member calling Pelosi what he should end Dubbed “Mask-Erpes Theater.”
“For everything that President Biden, Speaker Pelosi, and the mainstream media tell us to follow science, political leaders should set a precedent for being normal, not in fear of defying common sense,” Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio) said in a statement. “Based on acoustics, the CDC states that people who are vaccinated have an incredibly low risk of getting infected with coronaviruses. With that data, there is no reason why the House of Representatives should not be fully open and return to normal operation. It is time to end the House’s masked mandate and staggered voting. “
“[Masks] Should have gone months ago, “Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) Told Fox News’ The Ingram Angle” on Thursday. “Most members have either been vaccinated or have antibodies. This is a dumb rule. “
House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) Agreed that Pelosi should “just return to holiness.”
“She wants to control the House,” Scalise told host Laura Ingram. “She wants to keep the public out of the house,” she says. The American people are done with all these shut-ins. They want to see their government in action. “
Pelosi first implemented a mandatory masking policy for the House Chamber in July last year, when Rep. Louis Gohart (R-Texas) tested positive for coronavirus. In December, as cases increased nationwide, Pelosi required lawmakers to keep their masks in the Chamber at all times, even while speaking.
No member of Congress has publicly disclosed a positive coronavirus test since late January.
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