House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), during his weekly press conference conducted over Zoom, said the Chinese coronavirus restrictions in the House of Representatives will remain in place indefinitely due to the continued spread.
“I think additional precautions are merited,” Hoyer, who is the second-ranking Democrat in the House, said during the briefing according to the Hill.
“The continuation of the protocols that have been in place … should stay in place until such time as we have some guidance that the virus — particularly the Delta variant, which seems so transmissible, so easily transmissible — has abated,” he further explained.
Hoyer noted that some of the lawmakers have already started to wear masks on the House floor again. Hoyer also anticipated that Brian Monahan, the Capitol physician, could recommend having them mandated in the chambers once again.
“I’ve seen many members begin to wear a mask back on the floor of the House. I think I will do the same. And I think that’s perhaps the advice that Dr. Monahan will give us as well, based on the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] CDC recommendations,” the majority leader said while referring to Brian Monahan, the Capitol physician.
Talking about the CDC reversing their lifting of the mask mandate, Hoyer said, “CDC is clearly concerned that the virus is spiking; the unvaccinated are very vulnerable; and even members — one from Florida, one from Louisiana … have become infected.”
“It’s unfortunate that all of them have not been vaccinated,” Hoyer also stated.
The Hill noted that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has already authorized remote voting through August 17. This could mean that the Capitol Visitors Center could remain closed to the public until the restrictions are lifted.
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