Capitol Lifts Mask Mandate Ahead of Biden’s State of the Union

How convenient…

On Sunday, the Capitol physician announced that the mask mandate requiring masks on the House floor would be lifted. The convenient timing comes as President Biden is scheduled to deliver his State of the Union address on Tuesday.

Townhall reports:

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According to Attending Physician Brian Monahan, the previously issued requirements to be in effect for Biden’s address to Congress “remain in force with the exception that KN95 or N95 mask wear is no longer required and mask wear is now an individual choice option.”

As Townhall covered previously, the Capitol physician’s earlier February 17th rules for the State of the union included requirements for masking, social distancing, a negative COVID test, and avoiding physical contact with others. Those initial guidelines included a threat that “failure to follow guidelines or removal of the mask in the House Chamber will result in the attendee’s removal from the event and/or fines.”

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) reacted to the news of changing science by poking at Democrats who are now trying to catch up with guidelines issued long ago under Republican governors. “Follow the political theater!” he tweeted. “House mask mandate suspended just in time for State of the Union.”

The optics for President Biden’s first State of the Union address were already less than ideal as United States Capitol Police reinstalled fencing to ring the Capitol Building in which Biden will speak. The mask mandate that was issued under threat of removal or fine for attendees — and the fact that Congress had distributed masks stamped with “MADE IN CHINA” were just two more obstacles to Biden’s ability to project any image of moving beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s no secret that Democrats haven’t been following the science as they’ve so righteously claimed but this might take the cake. The House of Representatives and the Senate chamber have has separate Covid-19 protocols in place for months which has caused many politicians to point out the glaring hypocrisy.