WASHINGTON, July 30 — US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi yesterday announced that members and staff are required to wear masks in the House of Representatives during the coronavirus pandemic.
Members will be allowed to remove their masks to speak in the House when addressing the chamber, Pelosi said on the House floor.
“The chair expects all members and staff to adhere to this requirement as a sign of respect for the health, safety, and well-being of others present in the chamber and surrounding areas,” Pelosi said on the House floor.
The move came after Republican Congressman Louie Gohmert, who steadfastly refused to wear a mask during the coronavirus pandemic, said yesterday he has tested positive for Covid-19, leading at least three of his colleagues to say they would self-quarantine.
Pelosi warned that she had the authority to ask the House Sergeant at Arms to remove a member from the floor for violating decorum, and “the chair views the failure to wear a mask as a serious breach of decorum.”
She said masks will be available at entry points to the House for members who forget to bring them.
Pelosi had said earlier yesterday that leaders had been discussing a mask mandate with the Capitol physician. — Reuters
