The two top leaders in the House are engaged in a battle over whether to require lawmakers to wear masks on the House floor and in committee rooms.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s spokesman issued a statement Wednesday accusing her GOP counterpart, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, of pulling “a sad stunt” to distract from “pure chaos” in the Republican conference by forcing a vote on the mask mandate.
Earlier in the day, McCarthy introduced a resolution along with other Republicans calling for the Capitol’s attending physician to drop the mask mandate in the House chamber, in accordance with new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance for those fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
McCarthy plans to introduce the resolution later this afternoon, although Democrats are poised to table it.
TRAUMA FOR LIBERALS AS STATES DROP MASK MANDATES
“As elected officials, we have a responsibility to send a message to the American people that we believe in the safety and efficacy of the vaccine,” McCarthy and a group of GOP lawmakers who are medical doctors said in a statement. “The Speaker’s reluctance to trust the science, will only help to sow distrust in the vaccines.”
Pelosi has refused demands from Republicans to end the mask mandate and told reporters last week it would remain in place until all lawmakers and floor staff are vaccinated. The rule was recently adjusted to allow lawmakers to remove masks, but only while speaking at the lectern.
At least two Republican lawmakers were fined $500 each on Tuesday for remaining on the House floor without the required masks.
House Democrats approved the fines last year after several Republican lawmakers refused to wear masks in the chamber during the height of the pandemic.
But Republicans say the new CDC guidelines issued last week should end the mandate.
The CDC said those who are fully vaccinated no longer need to wear masks either indoors or outdoors.
On Wednesday, Pelosi issued a new statement from the Capitol’s attending physician supporting the mask mandate.
Capitol Physician Brian Monahan said the House chamber and House Committee rooms have “received special medical consideration for continued mask wear,” including “underlying health conditions and age.”
Monahan described the number of unvaccinated lawmakers as “substantial,” although it is fewer than 25% of all members.
“Additional medical safeguards are required to reduce the risk of coronavirus outbreak in this vital group,” Monahan said, and added that the directive “is entirely consistent” with the new CDC guidelines.
Republicans have accused Pelosi of using the policy to target the GOP, who she suggested make up all of the unvaccinated lawmakers. And they said the mask policy will hurt efforts to encourage people to get the vaccine.
“The Speaker’s reluctance to trust the science, will only help to sow distrust in the vaccines,” McCarthy and fellow Republicans said in a statement Wednesday.
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Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill said the GOP resolution to end the mask mandate is neither realistic nor based on science.
“If Minority Leader McCarthy wants to be maskless on the floor of the House of Representatives, he should get to work vaccinating his members,” Hammill said.
