House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sent a letter to lawmakers warning them to follow social distancing guidelines after House members reportedly violated them.
“With a sense of urgency, I write about respecting proper health and safety guidelines on the Floor, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Pelosi wrote in the Monday letter.
“The unexpected intervention yesterday evening relating to not seating Members from states subject to an Electoral count challenge resulted in Members ignoring the Floor procedures that were established to keep Members safe,” she said. “The intervention was not an invitation to gather on the Floor.” (RELATED: Every Member Of ‘The Squad’ Voted To Reelect Nancy Pelosi As House Speaker)
Lawmakers ignored guidelines and gathered on the floor in a large group after Republican Texas Rep. Chip Roy argued that his Republican colleagues who object to the presidential election results should also challenge the seating of lawmakers from Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, The Hill reported.
House members not setting a great example of social distancing during this floor vote right now… pic.twitter.com/Vwk47X0abf
— Cristina Marcos (@cimarcos) January 3, 2021
Democratic Wisconsin Rep. Gwen Moore announced that she had tested positive for coronavirus just six days before traveling to Washington, D.C., Sunday to vote for Pelosi as House Speaker. Moore said in a Sunday morning tweet that her quarantine was over and that she had been cleared to travel.
“As we go forward, please note with respect the guidance set forth by the Office of the Attending Physician and the Sergeant at Arms,” Pelosi said in the letter. “When staff urge you to leave the Floor, it is not a suggestion. It is a direction, in the interest of keeping the Congress healthy and intact.”
“As Members of Congress, we are considered essential workers,” she added, telling her colleagues to wear a mask at all times, respect social distancing rules, and limit the number of members on the floor.
At least 28 current members of the House have tested positive for coronavirus during the pandemic, Fox News congressional correspondent Chad Pergram reported.