House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Wednesday she would require all House members and aides to wear masks on the floor after Texas Rep. Louie Gohmert — who was often in the chamber interacting with colleagues and refusing to wear a face-covering — tested positive for coronavirus.
Members and staff will not be allowed to enter if they don’t wear masks. Pelosi noted that as speaker she has the authority to direct the House sergeant-at-arms to tell members to leave if they do not wear a mask.
The mask policy is effective immediately and only applies inside the House chamber. It does not apply to the House office buildings or hallways, according to the speaker’s office.
The move from Pelosi came as a growing number of lawmakers expressed concern and raised questions over safety precautions on Capitol Hill after the news of Gohmert’s diagnosis. Gohmert has previously spent time on the House floor during votes speaking to aides and lawmakers without a mask or social distancing.
But despite the Gohmert scare, some GOP members still opted not to wear masks on the House floor earlier on Wednesday prior to Pelosi’s announcement.
Republican Rep. Clay Higgins of Louisiana was seen sitting on the House floor not wearing a mask. He told CNN last month that wearing a mask is „part of the dehumanization of the children of God. You’re participating in it by wearing a mask.“
GOP Rep. Greg Steube of Florida was seen standing at the back of the chamber not wearing a mask, nor was GOP Rep. Brian Mast, also from Florida, who was sitting one seat apart from Republican Rep. Don Young of Alaska, who had his mask pulled down as he was chatting with Mast.
