Topline
Rep. Rick Allen (R-Ga.) said Tuesday he would quarantine after learning he had been infected with coronavirus, making him the twelfth member of Congress to test positive for the virus in less than two weeks as Capitol Hill grapples with a steep jump in infections while lawmakers quarrel over safety precautions.
Senators Mike Lee, Charles Grassley, and Lindsey Graham prepare for the confirmation hearing of … [+]
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Key Facts
Allen said in a statement he found out he was positive from a routine test, is experiencing no symptoms and will continue working from home as he self-isolates.
Cases of coronavirus infections have also plagued the Senate: last week, 87-year-old president pro-tempore Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) tested positive along with Sen. Rick Scott (R-Florida).
Another Republican lawmaker from Georgia on Capitol Hill, Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Georgia), tested positive for coronavirus on Friday, but subsequently tested negative twice, saying in a statement she planned to return to the campaign trail for her Jan. 5 runoff.
According to a tally from GovTrack, at least 33 members of Congress have tested positive for coronavirus since March.
Key Background
The uptick in congressional coronavirus comes in the midst of tension on the floors of both chambers over social distancing measures and mask wearing. Lawmakers have argued over masking and even blamed their colleagues for spreading the virus to other congressmen. The coronavirus surge on Capitol Hill isn’t unique—coronavirus infections are ramping up in most U.S. states, and on Tuesday, Johns Hopkins University counted more than 12.5 million confirmed cases in the country since the beginning of the pandemic.
Source: Forbes – Business
