WASHINGTON _ House lawmakers are now required to wear masks during in-person committee meetings, but it's up to the chairmen and chairwomen of those panels to decide on enforcement.
Following updated guidance from attending physician Brian Monahan, Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California has asked committee leaders to invoke the chamber's rule on decorum to prevent members who choose not to wear face coverings from taking part in hearings within the committee meeting rooms.
It's all part of the effort to adapt to the new reality of conducting legislative business during the COVID-19 pandemic.
House committee leaders are being requested to enforce rules of decorum in order to require the use of masks, a senior Democratic aide familiar with the speaker's directive said.
"For U.S. House of Representatives meetings in a limited enclosed space, such as a committee hearing room, for greater than 15 minutes, face coverings are REQUIRED," Monahan's memo said. "Face covers will be provided by the meeting sponsor to individuals arriving without face covers."
"Waterless hand cleanser should be used by individuals on entry and exit. Seating arrangements in accordance with social distancing guidelines and contact surface cleaning procedures will be facilitated by committee staff," the attending physician said in the updated guidance, distributed to House offices in a Tuesday night Dear Colleague letter.
The aide said the office of the sergeant-at-arms would be empowered to deny entry to members who do not wear masks. In addition, the rules would permit committee chairmen and chairwomen to not entertain efforts by members without masks to be recognized to speak during proceedings.
The physician's memo said there could be "limited exceptions" to the face mask requirement during committee proceedings, including when speaking with reporters.
"For example, if addressing the media from a committee room during an event, brief removal to facilitate lip reading by hearing impaired viewers is acceptable," the Dear Colleague letter said. "Additionally, individuals with an exemption to face covering use due to a specific health reason are not required to wear a covering. However, six-foot minimum separation must be accommodated in all cases of exemption."
While COVID-19 cases have been falling in Washington, there have been increases elsewhere in the country. Members of Congress routinely travel back and forth from their home districts, so the precautions will be all the more important as more members choose to return.
"The Congress has unique risks in that individuals attending the Congress do not represent a gathering of regional citizens but an intra-National assembly of individuals traveling from areas of variable disease activity to assemble in Washington DC. As such, Congress may experience not only the local District of Columbia circumstance, but also that of areas with higher risk," the physician wrote.
