House Republicans are balking at the new mask mandate recently announced by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)
On Thursday, freshman Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) posted a video of herself walking through the Capitol complex without a mask. She said, “In the tunnels this morning, socially distant from anybody else. I’ve had Covid. I’ve had two vaccinations. I’m washing my hands. I’m even wearing my mask in the chamber. But I’m not going to wear it anywhere else.”
“So, Madam Speaker, come and get me,” she added.
Absolutely no American should be arrested over a mask. I’ve had COVID. I’m also vaccinated. I wash my hands. I keep my distance. I’m not even shaking hands bc of the spike ?. This is totally out of control.
— Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) July 29, 2021
Do your part and follow the science. Vaccinations work. https://t.co/pyXt343UEp
In a separate tweet, she wrote, “Absolutely no American should be arrested over a mask. I’ve had COVID. I’m also vaccinated. I wash my hands. I keep my distance. I’m not even shaking hands bc of the spike.”
“This is totally out of control. Do your part and follow the science. Vaccinations work,” she added.
As coronavirus cases surge around the country, Pelosi announced on Wednesday that the House would implement a mask-wearing mandate again, leading Republicans to denounce the move.
Rep. Kat Cammack (R-Fla.) tweeted a picture on Thursday morning of what she said was a bulletin from the U.S. Capitol Police about the new mask mandate.
The document reads that “masks are required for all individuals on site, and social distancing guidelines are to be followed.”
It continued, “USCP officers who work in the House Division or the House-side of the Capitol Division shall enforce this mask policy on all staff and visitors within the above noted locations. This includes all House Office Buildings, the Hall of the House, and House Committee meetings. (NOTE: Although this applies to Members of Congress, officers should not arrest any Member for failure to wear a mask or to comply with the mask mandate. Any member who fails to comply with a request to wear a mask should be reported to the House Sergeant at Arms’ office.”
It added:
“If a visitor or staff member fails to wear a mask after a request is made to do so, the visitor or staff shall be denied entry to the House Office Buildings or House-side of the U.S. Capitol. Any person who fails to either comply or leave the premises after being asked to do so would be subject to an arrest for Unlawful Entry.”
In today’s edition of Pelosi’s abuse of power, Capitol Police have been directed to arrest staff and visitors to comply with her mask mandate for vaccinated individuals.
— Congresswoman Kat Cammack (@RepKatCammack) July 29, 2021
For Members, they advise not arresting but “reporting Members to SAA for their failure to comply.”
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Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) blasted the mask mandate during a speech on the House floor on Wednesday, as he said, “We can’t come to the floor, I can’t execute my Constitutional duty, unless I wear a mask.”
“Which is it? Vaccines or masks? Do the vaccines work, or they don’t work? Do the masks work, or they don’t work? I’d like to know which it is. I’d like Dr. Fauci to come down and answer a single question about natural immunity. If you’ve been infected with the virus, do you have immunity? Or are they just gonna go around poking people, saying you must take a vaccine. ‘Oh, but sorry, the vaccine doesn’t work, you must wear a mask,” he added.
