House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and the Republican Doctors Caucus are introducing a resolution to peel back House Speaker Pelosi’s mask policy in the House so that it aligns with recently issued guidance by the CDC. The team is introducing a privileged resolution that will force a vote to update the rules regarding vaccinated House members wearing masks. Currently, Pelosi’s rules only allow House member to remove their masks if they are speaking on the House floor.
Fox News reports:
McCarthy and the Republican doctors also blasted the House mask mandate as sending an “erroneous message” to Americans that the COVID-19 vaccines don’t work and said it “is not based on the best available science.”
They added that the mask mandate affects “the ability of the House to properly and effectively conduct” business for the betterment of America.
According to the Congressional Research Service, the House rules define privileged business — such as a privileged resolution — as “business that has precedence over the regular order of business.”
Privileged business in the House interrupts other legislation or business before the governing body and brings a measure up for a floor vote.
Last week the CDC updated its guideline to say that vaccinated people do not need to wear face masks in most indoor settings.