House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said on Thursday that the current mask mandate for the House floor will remain in place until all members are vaccinated, despite GOP pleas for updates to the policy. The guidance from the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that fully vaccinated individuals need not wear masks any longer, whether indoors or outdoors.
Pelosi maintained that the mandate will remain in place until all lawmakers are confirmed to have received the vaccine in full.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi is asked about Republican calls to eliminate mask mandate on the House floor.
— The Recount (@therecount) May 20, 2021
She responds: “Until [members of Congress] are vaccinated, we cannot have meetings without masks.” pic.twitter.com/Uh8tJ9wSbx
A group of House Republicans, some of whom had not yet received the vaccine, recently rebelled against Pelosi’s policy and refused to wear masks on the floor. House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and a number of Republican lawmakers penned a resolution asking Pelosi and the Attending Physician to update the guidance in accordance with the CDC, so that vaccinated individuals may not wear masks.
NEW — here’s the @GOPLeader resolution seeking to change mask policy on the House floor
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) May 19, 2021
McCarthy will force a vote on this today. pic.twitter.com/FPQCrbcMWW
GOP Doctors Caucus Statement: House Floor Mask Mandate is Unscientific, Hurts Public Confidence in Vaccine Effectiveness pic.twitter.com/3s4SXw12rP
— GOP Doctors Caucus (@GOPDoctors) May 18, 2021
The resolution to update the current mask guidance was ultimately blocked by Democrats who claim to "follow the science."