The Senate Committee on Health, Education and Labor suspended its hearing on the country’s coronavirus response this week out of concerns of spreading the virus.
Based on recommendations from @HHSGov, @CDCgov and @NIH, Ranking Member @PattyMurray and I are postponing until further notice the Senate health committee hearing that was scheduled to take place on Wednesday, March 18 at 10 a.m. ET.
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) March 16, 2020
The decision comes after the CDC recommended suspending events that consist of 50 or more people for the next eight weeks in order to prevent the spread of the virus.
However, Congress is in a delicate balance of trying to mitigate the risk to members and staffers while trying to still pass legislation.
The House is currently on a one-week recess, but leadership has pushed back their return date.
Majority Leader Steny Hoyer advised members to cancel their plans to come back to Capitol Hill on Monday and did not have a firm fly-in date. Members will have 24-hours notice if they need to return to D.C.
Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer announced Monday that the Democrats’ weekly luncheon will now be held via conference call.
The Senate — made up of 100 members, many of which are older and more vulnerable — will stay in session this week, however, to pass FISA reform and a coronavirus relief bill.
Across Capitol Hill, lawmakers are starting to shutter their D.C. offices and having their staffs work from home as others go into self-quarantine and miss votes.
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