Politics
AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite
Despite the threat of coronavirus, tourists are still arriving for springtime visits to Washington. Crowds filled the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, March 11, 2020.
- Congress' Office of the Attending Physician warned lawmakers Wednesday to "avoid mingling through large crowds of people" and avoid "close direct contact with other individuals" to protect against coronavirus transmission.
- But the Capitol remains open to visitors, raising concerns that lawmakers might have difficulty following these health guidelines.
- Six members of Congress have self-quarantined after coming into contact with individuals who later tested positive for the coronavirus.
- The World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic on Wednesday.
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With six members of Congress currently self-quarantined out of an abundance of caution due to concerns they may have been exposed to the coronavirus, lawmakers are grappling with how to go about their extremely public duties while protecting themselves.
A lawmaker's day often entails meeting with constituents, addressing large groups or rallies, and shaking hands. All were strongly discouraged by the Office of the Attending Physician, which sent out guidance to members on Wednesday to avoid large groups of people.
But the fact remains that the Capitol still remains open to the public, and the public is very much still showing up.
Tours have not yet been banned, and several reporters tweeted images of the Capitol Rotunda and Statuary Hall filled with groups of visitors. In one case, Speaker Nancy Pelosi posed for a photo at the center of a large group of girls who had traveled from San Francisco.
The OAP guidance stated that "members should adopt a stance that avoids close direct contact with other individuals, such as shaking hands, giving/receiving hugs, taking selfies, etc," Roll Call reported. They also recommended teleconferences or video calls for larger meetings or conferences.
"For additional protection all meeting participants, members attending large gatherings, should enter/exit via stage entrances to avoid mingling through large crowds of people," the OAP said.
Meanwhile, Washington D.C.'s health department is discouraging large gatherings of people, especially groups over 1,000 as a way to halt the coronavirus' spread.
The Capitol Visitor Center website said the complex was still open for visitors, but urged them to "be aware that campus tours may be canceled should medical experts recommend restricting visitors or a campus closure."
With the Capitol open for business, this might prove difficult for members attempting to move through the complex's busy corridors.
Some members are either not following or outright mocking the advice. Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe joked to a reporter, "Wanna shake hands?" the New York Times reported.
And Rep. Louis Gohmert led a group of children on a tour Monday, even after he learned he may have had contact at the Conservative American Political Action Conference (CPAC) with an individual who later tested positive for coronavirus. Gohmert has refused to enter self-quarantine like his Republican colleagues Rep. Matt Gaetz, Sen. Ted Cruz, Rep. Doug Collins, or Rep. Paul Gosar, who were also informed of possible exposure at CPAC.
House leadership is grappling with whether to keep the Capitol open.
On Tuesday, Pelosi told her members that "We are the captains of the ship. We are the last to leave," Politico reported. One of her top lieutenants, Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, later told reporters, "We haven't yet come to grips with whether or not we ought to close down the Capitol in terms of visitors."
Many leaders are still taking precautions. Rep. Donna Shalala (D) said she would hold town halls electronically, Roll Call reported. On the Senate side, Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin (D) said he was refraining from shaking hands, The Hill reported, while Sen. Richard Shelby (R) of Alabama insisted he was washing his.
On Tuesday, the Capitol's attending physician jokingly recommended that in place of handshakes, lawmakers should instead use the Vulcan salute, the signature gesture of Star Trek's iconic character Mr. Spock.
Large public gatherings have been banned in many cities, but the Capitol remains very much open to tourists.@SpeakerPelosi just stopped to pose, shoulder-to-shoulder, with this group of girls. @sfchronicle #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/Myr4qZsB92
- Dustin Gardiner (@dustingardiner) March 11, 2020Don't be in big crowds or hold big gatherings, says health officials
The U.S Capitol: pic.twitter.com/cy1fq6LWCX
- Christal Hayes (@Journo_Christal) March 11, 2020DC HEALTH DEPT: Cancel all group gatherings.
CONGRESS: Please, tourists, continue to clog the corridors between the speaker's office and the House chamber while we decide what to do. pic.twitter.com/j4vWZXv0hE
- Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) March 11, 2020>@replouiegohmert, who interacted with COVID positive person at CPAC last week, is leading this large group of schoolkids around the Capitol right now pic.twitter.com/zTzd7IOQIq
- Mike DeBonis (@mikedebonis) March 10, 2020