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WASHINGTON (AP) – Congressional leaders said Friday (Oct. 2) they are reviewing the need for virus testing on Capitol Hill after President Donald Trump’s virus infection rekindled fears of an outbreak in neighborhoods. closed and increasingly tense of the House and Senate.
Just hours after news of Trump’s diagnosis rocked Washington and the 2020 campaign, Senators Mike Lee of Utah and Thom Tillis of North Carolina became the latest members of Congress to test positive for the virus that has killed more than 205,000 Americans. All three attended the White House Rose Garden presentation Saturday by Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett.
Lee, who did not wear a mask at the White House event, said he had “symptoms consistent with longstanding allergies.” Tillis, who did wear a mask, said she has no symptoms. Both said they will remain in quarantine for 10 days, ending just before Barrett’s confirmation hearings begin on October 12.
The positive evidence comes as Senate Republicans are pushing to quickly confirm Barrett in the few weeks they have before the Nov. 3 election. There is little room in the schedule set by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell who want to put Trump’s third-elected judge in court immediately in case they lose. some of his power in elections.
Democrats immediately took to the announcements calling for a delay in the hearings.
“We now have two members of the Senate Judiciary Committee who have tested positive for COVID, and there may be more,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer tweeted. “I wish the best to my colleagues. It is irresponsible and dangerous to go ahead with a hearing, and there is absolutely no good reason to do so. “
Barrett, who was with Trump and many others on Saturday and met with Lee, Tillis and other members of the judicial panel this week, tested negative, the White House said Friday. It was confirmed that he had a mild case of COVID earlier this year and has now recovered.
As the Trump campaign canceled or postponed in-person events, anxiety increased on Capitol Hill, where testing and tracing is offered, but not required, for anyone who thinks they may have been exposed to COVID-19.
READ: Behind the scenes concerns at the White House after Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis
“We simply cannot allow the arrogant attitude of the administration to negatively affect this branch of government,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement. “It is imperative that all results are made public to contain a possible outbreak and so that we can determine the need for senators and staff to self-quarantine or self-isolate.”
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said he spoke with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday morning about pushing or requiring evidence on Capitol Hill.
“We have not made a decision on this. In light of that, we must consult with our medical staff, ”Hoyer told reporters. He said one concern was to run reliable tests.
Later, Pelosi’s office referenced a statement from the Capitol doctor reiterating the current policy.
The dilemma facing Congress remains similar to that facing schools, places of worship, workplaces, and the White House as the virus spreads across the United States. Nationally and on Capitol Hill, there are no comprehensive plans that require testing or the use of masks.
For months, Congressional leaders have resisted pushing the voluntary testing system there or accepting testing from the White House, saying supplies should go to front-line workers and the rest of the United States. But they have taken other precautions. The Capitol has been closed to visitors since March, and most committee offices and hearings are held, at least partially, remotely. Members of the House can vote by proxy through their colleagues, to reduce the number of people swarming.
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But Capitol Hill remains a potential vector of disease from any point of view. It is a maze of tunnels, lounges, tiny elevators and strange staircases traversed by MPs who have flown in from everywhere. Many members are older and more vulnerable to infection. Some Republicans have refused to wear masks on occasion.
The potential for the virus to spread was abundant only in recent days. Barrett visited dozens of senators, including Lee and Tillis, before confirmation hearings expected to begin Oct. 12.
Both men are members of the Senate Judiciary Committee that will handle Barrett’s confirmation hearings. Lee, Tillis and other Republican panel members were among those who attended the Rose Garden event on Saturday. Photographs from the event show very few people wearing masks.
Several members of Congress attended the first presidential debate Tuesday in Cleveland, where members of the president’s family removed their masks during the 95-minute exchange. And then there was House’s session on Friday.
Trump’s diagnosis lifted the atmosphere.
“I think it’s time for my colleagues, who are, you know, denying the science, you know, stop messing around about flat earth and protect themselves and others,” said US Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney.
“Everyone in the Capitol complex needs to be screened,” Sen. Chris Murphy tweeted. “Any Republican senator or staff member who was in close contact with Trump must self-quarantine. No issue should continue in the Senate until we understand the scope of this crisis. “
READ: US Vice President Pence Tests Negative for COVID-19: Spokesperson
Republicans were much quieter about the need for additional precautions against COVID-19.
Podiatrist Rep. Brad Wenstrup noted that some tests have not been reliable. When asked if his colleagues should wear masks more often, he replied: “It would be helpful.”
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