Harris

According to Breitbart, US Vice President Kamala Harris requires COVID tests to be taken within 24 hours of any senator, family member, or guest of a new senator taking photos with Harris at Tuesday’s swearing-in ceremony for the new Congress.

On Thursday the U.S. Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Protocol Office released a statement to all Senate offices about the ruling.

“The Vice President’s office has requested that we send their standard COVID-19 protocol information to offices participating in the reenactment opportunity in the Old Senate Chamber. Please see their suggested process below,” the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Protocol Office said in the email obtained by the news portal.

“We look forward to welcoming all Senators and their families for the reenactment opportunity on January 3rd.”

Grisella Martinez, the Director of Legislative Affairs in the Office of the Vice President forwarded the email in which the senior Harris staffer relayed the coronavirus testing requirements.

Rules by Harris?

“We look forward to welcoming your Senator on January 3, 2023, to the ceremonial reenactment for incoming and newly re-elected Senators in the Old Senate Chamber,” Martinez wrote.

“As you are aware, White House COVID-19 protocols require that anyone over two-years of age who will interact with the Vice President take a medically-administered antigen test within 24 hours prior to interaction, and receive a negative result. This policy applies regardless of vaccination status.”

Martinez continued in her message by noting that both incoming and returning Senators, their spouses, and “and other guests who will participate in the ceremonial swearing-in reenactment in the Old Senate Chamber” may take a coronavirus antigen test on the morning of Jan. 3, 2023, in a U.S. Senate office building.

Senators are sworn in officially at the beginning of a new Congress. There is a separate ceremonial reenactment of the swearing-in where senators take photographs with the Vice President of the United States whose Constitutional duties include presiding over the upper chamber of Congress.

Most of the time, senators’ families and close friends also attend the ceremonies—including their spouses, children, and grandchildren.

Young Children

Many senators have young children and grandchildren, and several U.S. Senate sources told the outlet they are uneasy with these coronavirus testing requirements on their young family members.

This is beyond ridiculous after so many years into the pandemic, especially given that the Biden administration is currently in court arguing that the pandemic is over and that it should be allowed to lift Title 42 authority at the border, said a source to the news portal.

In related news, last April 2022, Harris tested positive for COVID-19. In a report by CNN, it was said that she tested positive after returning from a weeklong trip to California.

“Today I tested positive for COVID-19. I have no symptoms, and I will continue to isolate and follow CDC guidelines. I’m grateful to be both vaccinated and boosted,” Harris tweeted.

Six days after testing positive, the Vice President tested negative after taking an antiviral pill.

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