House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., speaks during a photo opportunity on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, May 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Despite freshly updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced on Thursday that masks will still be required in the House Chamber. This implies that lawmakers are to wear a face covering at all times with the exception of when they are speaking.
The CDC announced earlier in the day that fully vaccinated people no longer needed to wear a mask in almost all settings, including indoors. The lifted restrictions also said vaccinated people could ease up on socially distancing from one another.
Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio) said in a statement, “for all the talk from Joe Biden, Speaker Pelosi, and the mainstream media telling us to follow the science, political leaders should be setting an example for getting back to normal, not cowering in fear in defiance of common sense.”
UPDATE: If you are fully vaccinated against #COVID19, you can resume activities without wearing a mask or staying 6 feet apart, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal or territorial laws, incl. local business and workplace guidance. More: https://t.co/FJMon7WlFO
— CDC (@CDCgov) May 13, 2021
When questioned why the rule would be kept despite the updated guidelines, Pelosi defended her stance saying it would remain in place until all members were vaccinated. Again, this comes after the CDC announced vaccinated people could begin to return back to life as it was before the pandemic, which includes the retirement of masks and social distancing.
Source: One America News Network
