Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) has tested positive for COVID-19, days after chairing a committee hearing attended by Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) who announced a positive test for coronavirus earlier this week.
“While I cannot blame anyone directly for this, this week has shown that there are some Members of Congress who fail to take this crisis seriously,” he said in a statement that he posted to his Twitter account on Saturday afternoon. “Stopping the spread of a deadly virus should not be a partisan issue,” he added.
I have tested positive for COVID-19.
As a result, I will be self-isolating in quarantine. I currently have no symptoms, feel fine, and hope to make a quick & speedy recovery.
COVID-19 is not a joke & we should all take this seriously.
My full statement: pic.twitter.com/nnBskdSyTF
— Raul M. Grijalva (@RepRaulGrijalva) August 1, 2020
Grijalva said that he currently has no symptoms and is self-isolating at the recommendation of an attending physician.
The Arizona congressman chairs the House Natural Resources Committee which held a meeting Tuesday that Gohmert also attended. Gohmert reported a positive test for COVID-19 the following day, although it was not immediately clear whether Gohmert had infected Grijalva or others.
Gohmert has routinely refused to wear a mask also attended a hearing of the House Judiciary Committee.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) told CNN Wednesday that while the House isn’t mandating testing for lawmakers yet, “we’re discussing that.”
Since Gohmert’s announcement, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) ordered a broad mask mandate for House members that was scheduled to go into effect Thursday. It included a requirement for members and staff to wear masks in the House chamber in addition to House office buildings with few exceptions.
