OUWA.org – GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa tests positive for Covid-19. Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, who is 87 years old, tweeted that he tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday, after saying earlier he would self isolate after a possible exposure.
“I’ve tested positive for coronavirus,” Grassley wrote. “I’ll (be) following my doctors’ orders/CDC guidelines & still quarantine. I’m feeling good + will continue on my work for the ppl of Iowa from home. I appreciate everyone’s well wishes + prayers &look fwd to resuming my normal schedule soon.”
Grassley, as president pro tempore, is that the most senior Republican within the chamber. (Read Also Airbnb’s IPO filing shows it’s navigating the pandemic better than travel industry peers)
It’s unclear which if any senators who interacted with Grassley on Monday would isolate themselves. Republican Sen. Roy Blunt, a member of GOP leadership, said Grassley attended their Republican leadership meeting Monday. Asked if any who attended the meeting will quarantine, Blunt, who chairs the Senate Rules Committee, told reporters: “You’d need to ask them.”
He added, “I was like, 12 feet faraway from him at the meeting that’s why we’re therein big room.”
“We are all opened up,” GOP Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming told CNN of the leadership meeting. Republican Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, who attended Monday’s leadership meeting, said they were wearing masks.
On whether there are the other precautions being taken, as Grassley presided over the Senate floor on Monday and attended meetings, Blunt said Tuesday: “He did. He did. And he’s been great about wearing his mask and that I think great about taking care of himself, then I feel he’s done everything he can … does everything he might be expected to try to to to guard himself and therefore the remainder of us.
People catch this.”
“Not that I do know of,”
Barrasso, who is additionally in GOP leadership, told CNN when asked if they’re going to need to take extra precautions now that Grassley tested positive.
Grassley missed Tuesday’s votes due to his quarantine, his first missed vote since 1993 when he missed thanks to floods in his state, consistent with his office.
Grassley is that the second GOP senator in under every week to announce that he’s isolating after a possible Covid exposure. Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida said Saturday that he was isolating also after coming into “contact with someone who subsequently tested positive for COVID.”
Grassley was seen at the Capitol chatting with reporters Monday afternoon.
At least two members of the United States House of Representatives announced Monday they tested positive for Covid-19 and another member announced he was isolating after possibly being exposed, a symbol of the looming threat of coronavirus on Capitol Hill.
The threat of coronavirus has been a uniform influence over leaders from both parties and chambers of Congress since the pandemic began, and the way lawmakers react has been under increased scrutiny amid the newest wave of cases sweeping the country.
Grassley’s announcement also comes each day after a dispute on the Senate floor when Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown was recognized by Alaskan GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan and asked Sullivan to place on a mask.
“I’d start by asking the leader to please wear a mask as he speaks and other people below him are — i can not tell you what to try to,” Brown said, pertaining to Sullivan.
“I don’t wear a mask when I’m speaking, like most senators,” Sullivan responded.
Brown responded angrily:
“I know you do not need my instruction, but they’re clearly aren’t much interest during this body publicly health. we have a president who hasn’t shown up at the coronavirus task force meeting in months. we have a legislator that calls us back here to vote on an unqualified nominee, and at an equivalent time to vote for a judge after judge after judge, exposing all the people that can’t say anything, I understand, the people ahead of you, and therefore the leader, and expose all the staff here, and therefore the legislator just doesn’t seem to worry .”
