The House of Representatives has become a microcosm of the nation’s mask wars.
Those who need to wear masks aren’t, and those who don’t need to wear them are.
Yet it's Republican members who are also rebelling against masks — much like their voters around the country. A dozen refused to put on masks in the House chamber this week, my colleague Felicia Sonmez reports.
Politico[COLOR=rgba(0,0,0,0.87)]’[/COLOR]s Melanie Zanona:
NBC[COLOR=rgba(0,0,0,0.87)]’[/COLOR]s Haley Talbot:
“Now three of those GOP lawmakers — Brian Mast (Fla.), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (Iowa), a physician, and Beth Van Duyne (Tex.) — face $500 fines for breaking the rules,” Felicia writes. “All three were fined because this was the second time they defied the mask mandate, while seven other Republicans were issued a first warning.”
Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) is facing a fine for refusing to wear a mask in the House chamber. (Andrew Harnik/AP)
Republicans were incensed that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has refused to remove the mask mandates, despite new federal guidance saying fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear one in most circumstances.
Similarly, groups and individuals on their side of the political aisle have been the most reluctant to remove masks and most critical of the new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance. That more-relaxed guidance, released by the agency last week, sparked some concerns that an honor system will allow the unvaccinated a pass to take off their masks whenever they want.
Others are simply afraid of appearing as anti-masking Republicans.
It says the guidance should be updated for vaccinated lawmakers, in accordance with new CDC guidelines. That would in theory preclude allowing the unvaccinated Republicans from removing their masks — except McCarthy isn’t on board with requiring members to show proof of vaccination.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). (Evan Vucci/AP)
McCarthy doesn’t call for showing vaccination cards, spokeswoman Michele Exner told me in an email.
“This is not a requirement used by other entities that have lifted the mask mandates, and it shouldn’t be applied here,” Exner wrote. “We hope Democrats join House Republicans in following the science, and sending a clear signal to the American people that the vaccine is both safe and effective.”
Drew Hammill, a spokesman for Pelosi, said McCarthy should “get to work vaccinating his members” if he wants to be maskless on the House floor.
The Post[COLOR=rgba(0,0,0,0.87)]’[/COLOR]s Paul Kane:
Monahan added that the mask requirement for the House chamber “is entirely consistent with Centers for Disease Control prevailing mask guidance as reviewed and endorsed by an expert CDC panel.”
Those who need to wear masks aren’t, and those who don’t need to wear them are.
GOP members are demanding a removal of the mask mandate in the House chamber even as many refuse to get vaccinated.
Fewer than half of House Republican members have agreed to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, according to a CNN survey. Around 45 percent have been vaccinated, compared with at least 92 percent of Senate Republicans and all Senate and House Democrats. That comports with polling finding Republicans are less willing than Democrats to be vaccinated.Yet it's Republican members who are also rebelling against masks — much like their voters around the country. A dozen refused to put on masks in the House chamber this week, my colleague Felicia Sonmez reports.
Politico[COLOR=rgba(0,0,0,0.87)]’[/COLOR]s Melanie Zanona:
NBC[COLOR=rgba(0,0,0,0.87)]’[/COLOR]s Haley Talbot:
“Now three of those GOP lawmakers — Brian Mast (Fla.), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (Iowa), a physician, and Beth Van Duyne (Tex.) — face $500 fines for breaking the rules,” Felicia writes. “All three were fined because this was the second time they defied the mask mandate, while seven other Republicans were issued a first warning.”
Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) is facing a fine for refusing to wear a mask in the House chamber. (Andrew Harnik/AP)
Republicans were incensed that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has refused to remove the mask mandates, despite new federal guidance saying fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear one in most circumstances.
Who's fine with keeping masks on? The fully-vaccinated Democratic caucus.
There were (unsurprisingly) no public complaints from House Democrats, who have little to fear from removing masks.Similarly, groups and individuals on their side of the political aisle have been the most reluctant to remove masks and most critical of the new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance. That more-relaxed guidance, released by the agency last week, sparked some concerns that an honor system will allow the unvaccinated a pass to take off their masks whenever they want.
Others are simply afraid of appearing as anti-masking Republicans.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is pushing for an anti-mask resolution.
The resolution, which he introduced yesterday, urges the attending Capitol physician to “take timely action to provide updated mask-wearing guidance” for vaccinated lawmakers and staff in the House chamber and committee spaces.It says the guidance should be updated for vaccinated lawmakers, in accordance with new CDC guidelines. That would in theory preclude allowing the unvaccinated Republicans from removing their masks — except McCarthy isn’t on board with requiring members to show proof of vaccination.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). (Evan Vucci/AP)
McCarthy doesn’t call for showing vaccination cards, spokeswoman Michele Exner told me in an email.
“This is not a requirement used by other entities that have lifted the mask mandates, and it shouldn’t be applied here,” Exner wrote. “We hope Democrats join House Republicans in following the science, and sending a clear signal to the American people that the vaccine is both safe and effective.”
Yet many in McCarthy’s GOP conference don’t appear to trust the vaccines.
Or if they do trust them, they at least don’t consider the vaccines important enough to take them. Pelosi has cited the high rates of vaccine refusal among Republican members as a reason to continue the masking requirement in the House chamber.Drew Hammill, a spokesman for Pelosi, said McCarthy should “get to work vaccinating his members” if he wants to be maskless on the House floor.
The Post[COLOR=rgba(0,0,0,0.87)]’[/COLOR]s Paul Kane:
Attending physician Brian Monahan is siding with Pelosi.
In a statement issued yesterday, Monahan wrote that “extra precautions are necessary given the substantial number of partially vaccinated, unvaccinated and vaccine-indeterminate individuals.”Monahan added that the mask requirement for the House chamber “is entirely consistent with Centers for Disease Control prevailing mask guidance as reviewed and endorsed by an expert CDC panel.”
