The House of Representatives has dropped plans to return to Washington, D.C., next week due to concerns stemming from the Chinese coronavirus pandemic, according to a top congressional Democrat.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) said lawmakers arrived at the decision on the advice of the Capitol physician.
“We made a judgment that we will not come back next week but that we hope to come back very soon,” Hoyer said in a statement.
Leaders of both parties had announced the House and Senate would return May 4. But the congressional physician’s view was there is a “risk” to members, Hoyer said.
It’s Time to Let States Lead on Paid Family Leave
Primary showdown: Polls close in Tennessee as conservative firebrand eyes governor’s office
EXCLUSIVE: Michigan House speaker calls for answers over $300M taxpayer-funded Rx Kids program
Amazon Investigating After Footage of Delivery Driver Refusing to Take ‘Extra Two Steps’ Goes Viral
Senate scrambles for the exit amid outstanding to-do list: ‘Clear as mud’
Death Toll Hits Triple Digits, Thousands of Africans Remain in Spanish City in Aftermath of Invasion
Doctor Charged in Massive Medicare Fraud Scheme That Allegedly ‘Exploited Elderly Patients’ and Taxpayers
Keeping Strait of Hormuz toll-free is paramount concern for international bodies as Iran-Oman negotiations drag
Trump signs executive orders targeting birthright citizenship, birth tourism after Supreme Court setback
Missouri neighbor accused of killing mother and teen daughter after confronting family over dispute
Foreign drunk drivers could face swift boot out of country under Trump’s ‘America first’ crackdown
WATCH: Dashcam captures the split second a routine Tennessee traffic stop goes sideways
Fauci’s Nightmare Worsens – Guess Who Just Got a Copy of His COVID-Era Phone?
Trump allies push to arm president with new tariff weapon to punish countries ‘ripping off’ America
Reporter’s Notebook: Summer ends, but the Senate’s fall crunch begins
Uncertainty in the congressional schedule, along with deepening partisan divide, could stall work on a new the coronavirus relief bill. Hoyer said lawmakers will be asked to return when the legislation is complete.
He noted that negotiations are set to resume Tuesday with Republicans on proxy voting proposals in the House.
The Senate, meanwhile, remains on track to return Monday.
In announcing the Senate’s return, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that if it is essential for doctors, nurses and grocery workers “to keep carefully manning their own duty stations, then it is essential for Senators to carefully man ours.”
Story cited here.
