House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said Thursday she believes the “honor system” is not sufficient to know if “someone is vaccinated.”
While explaining the dangers of being unvaccinated while serving as a member in the House, despite her mask wearing rules and vaccination, Pelosi rhetorically asked, “What is this, the honor system?” She continued, “The honor system, as to whether someone has been vaccinated? Do you want them breathing in your face on the strength of their honor?”
Pelosi’s comments comes after White House press secretary Jen Psaki was asked during a press conference on May 17 whether it is “worrisome” for businesses “to be operating on an honor system, that it could put kids or even immune-compromised Americans at risk?”
Psaki responded:
So, the guidance is actually pretty clear, but it gives people the information and the power to be able to protect themselves. If you get vaccinated — you go through your two doses; you’re two weeks past your doses — you no longer need to wear a mask. If you are not, you should still wear a mask to protect others, but also to protect yourself. And it also makes clear that kids should still wear masks.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated their mask guidelines May 13 as follows:
House voted 218-210 along party lines Wednesday to block House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) effort to repeal a mask mandate for lawmakers in the House chamber in accordance with the CDC’s mask guidance for House floor proceedings.
Thirty-three House Republicans sent a letter on May 13 to Pelosi asking her to normalize voting procedures and return to maskless House requirements Thursday.