WASHINGTON — As COVID-19 cases surge around the country, lawmakers are fighting over revisiting rules to stop the spread on Capitol Hill.

What You Need To Know
  • On Tuesday, the CDC reversed course on mask guidance, recommending indoor mask use for all Americans in high-transmission areas, regardless of vaccination status

  • House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California reestablished a mask mandate on the House floor this week, drawing heat from Republicans

  • Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison wrote a letter to the House attending physician asking how many Republicans have notified the office of their vaccinated status

On Tuesday, the CDC reversed course on mask guidance, recommending indoor mask use for all Americans in high-transmission areas, regardless of vaccination status. Health officials cited new data showing that fully-vaccinated individuals can contract the more insidious delta strain of COVID-19 and are capable of spreading it to others.

“[Wednesday], Wisconsin had 794 new cases of coronavirus— the day before 900 and some new cases of the coronavirus,” said Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisconsin. “These are mainly the delta variant. And we haven't seen the numbers that bad since April.”

Following the CDC’s guidance, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, reestablished a mask mandate on the House floor this week, drawing heat from Republicans.

“We were vaccinated. We're not a hotspot, but they're forcing you to wear a mask, not in the Senate, but in the House,” said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-California, in a press gaggle on Wednesday. “This is just about more control.”

Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, seeing the complaints, wrote a letter to the House attending physician asking how many Republicans have notified the office of their vaccinated status.

“Some of my colleagues, I can't decide if they're dumb as rocks or stubborn as rocks,” said Rep. Pocan. “That's the problem. And that's why we'd like to know. So if someone is going to be one of those really stubborn people and not get vaccinated, I don't want to get too close them. They’re not following common sense protocol and much less common courtesy.”

Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wausau, accused the CDC of flip-flops, and said its credibility is damaged. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin, said he’s also skeptical.

“Show me the data,” said Sen. Johnson. “Show me the science, why are we doing this now? I don't think this is going to help address their concern over vaccine hesitancy.”

He tested positive for COVID-19 in October and cited immunity as the reason why he wouldn’t get the vaccine. But Rep. Clay Higgins, R-Louisiana, contracted the virus for a second time this week. After asking Johnson if that changes his mind, the Republican senator told Spectrum News it did not.

While all four of Wisconsin’s Democratic lawmakers are fully vaccinated, just two Republican congressmen (Reps. Bryan Steil, R-Janesville, and Mike Gallagher, R-Green Bay) confirmed to Spectrum News they were as well. Staff for Reps. Glenn Grothman, R-Glenbeulah, Tom Tiffany and Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, did not respond to Spectrum News’ inquiry.