The pressure is increasing on House leadership to allow remove voting after two members of Congress tested positive for the coronavirus.
‘In. Person. Voting. Should. Be. Reconsidered. For the safety of our communities, during this emergency, we must be able to legislate from our districts,’ Democratic Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell wrote on Twitter after Congressmen Mario Diaz-Balart and Ben McAdams revealed they tested positive for the virus.
Congressional leadership has shot down the idea but may have to reconsider it given the increased pressure from members, who stand shoulder to shoulder on the House floor when they are in the chamber to vote.
The number of lawmakers and staff present during a vote makes social distancing virtually impossible.
Pressure increasing on Speaker Nancy Pelosi to allow remote voting after two members of Congress tested positive for the coronavirus
Some House members are pushing for the ability to vote remotely during coronavirus crisis
A group of 50 bipartisan lawmakers wrote a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy asking them to allow remote voting in the House
Additionally, the 435 members of the House would have to travel next week to return to Washington D.C. to vote, increasing their chances of exposure to the virus. Members are in their districts this week for the congressional recess.
The issue will come to a head in the next few days as the Senate prepares a third coronavirus rescue package, one that could contain provisions for checks to be mailed to individual Americans. Once it passes the upper chamber, the House would need to approve it.
On Wednesday, a bipartisan group of 50 House lawmakers sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Republican House Leader Kevin McCarthy, requesting the remote voting option be revisited.
‘We ask that you bring to the floor a simple rule change that would permit remote voting for Members of Congress during this national public health emergency,’ they wrote.
‘Remote voting is a key part of maintaining continuity of operations. Adopting rules today for the House to allow remove voting, as necessary, will allow every Member to continue to vote and represent the concerns of their constituents as we address the crisis,’ they added.
The lawmakers also pointed out this would allow members who are self-quarantining out of caution to vote and represent their districts.
‘We in Congress are asking businesses, schools, and local governments to execute strong plans to ensure continuity of operations. Congress should be no exception,’ the lawmakers write.
At least six members of the House announced this week they will self-quarantine out of concern they came in contact with someone who has tested positive for coronarvirus.
That includes House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, who said in a statement he was quarantining after holding a long meeting with Diaz-Balart late last week.
‘Out of an abundance of caution, I have decided it would be best to self-quarantine based on the guidance of the Attending Physician of the United States Congress,’ he said.
‘Fortunately, I am not experiencing any symptoms, and will continue working remotely on Congress’ Coronavirus response,’ he added.
And Congresswoman Kendra Horn announced she would self-quarantine after coming into contact with McAdams.
‘COVID-19 has disrupted lives across Oklahoma. After contact with Rep. Ben McAdams last week, I am going into a precautionary two-week self-quarantine at my doctor’s advice. I will continue my work to deliver answers and resources to Oklahomans. We are all in this together,’ she wrote on Twitter.
Republican Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (pictured in February) said on Wednesday he has tested positive for the coronavirus after developing symptoms of the disease
Shortly after Diaz-Balart revealed his positive results, Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams shared that he too has tested positive for COVID-19
Both Diaz-Balart and McAdams voted on the House floor Friday with their fellow members of Congress and then showed symptoms on Saturday.
The Office of the Attending Physician sent a note to lawmakers saying contact on the House floor was considered ‘low risk’ and that at-risk locations have been treated.
‘The Office of Attending Physician has identified the offices and locations that were found to be at risk and these have been treated by the Architect of the Capitol, using CDC approved cleaning methods to ensure there is no residual risk to others,’ the note said.
‘Other instances where the affected Members may have briefly come into contact with other colleagues on the House Floor would be considered to be low risk exposures and no additional measures are required other than for them to report any illness should they become ill,’ it said.
The Senate has changed its voting procedures to accommodate ‘social distancing’ recommendations – extending the voting time period from 15 minutes to 30 minutes and encouraging lawmakers to exit the chamber once they have voted instead of staying and chatting with each other as they usually do.
But Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has ruled out remote voting, telling reporters in the Capitol on Wednesday that the upper chamber will ‘not be doing that. There are a number of different ways to avoid getting too many people together.’