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Pelosi rejects calls to shutter Capitol: 'We're the captains of this ship'
The Hill ^ | March 10, 2020 | Scott Wong, Mike Lillis

Posted on 03/10/2020 10:47:48 AM PDT by jazusamo

With the Capitol consumed by anxiety over the coronavirus, Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) rose in a closed-door caucus meeting Tuesday and told his Democratic colleagues they should leave Washington and return home to their districts, where they would be safer.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi immediately quashed the idea, according to multiple sources in the room.

“We are the captains of the ship. We are the last to leave,” she told her caucus, borrowing a line uttered moments earlier by Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.), a Navy veteran.

The California Democrat and her leadership team have been feeling pressure from Nadler and others to take steps to avert a coronavirus outbreak in the Capitol, where two-thirds of senators are older than 60 and the average age of House members is 57.6 years.

The oldest members of both chambers — Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) — both turn 87 in June. Pelosi is 79, while Nadler is 72 years old. And several, including Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), are battling cancer.

The advanced age of many lawmakers is worrisome because older adults, especially those with existing medical conditions, are the most vulnerable to COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urged Americans older than 60 to avoid crowds — advice that’s virtually impossible for members of Congress to follow. At least 27 people have died from the virus in the United States.

The Pelosi-Nadler exchange came after House Democrats were briefed behind closed doors Tuesday morning by the congressional physician’s office, the Capitol Police and the head of the House Administration Committee, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), on steps for diminishing the coronavirus threat.

As part of that effort, the Capitol physician has been giving lawmakers a crash-course in “social distancing,” a mode of behavior that encourages members to avoid all physical contact, including handshakes, and keep a minimum of six feet between themselves and others.

His preferred greeting, the physician joked, is Mr. Spock’s Vulcan salute from Star Trek — no contact required.

The House Administration Committee, meanwhile, has purchased 1,500 new laptop computers for distribution to member offices, a move designed to empower more staff to work from home without violating security guidelines. More laptops are on the way.

Yet for all the briefings and expert advice, there remains an overwhelming sense of uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus — both from the public health officials seeking to prevent its spread and the Capitol Hill lawmakers hoping to address the fallout without inciting panic outside the Beltway.

“It’s a fluid situation,” said Rep. Ami Bera (D-Calif.), a physician and former chief medical officer for Sacramento County, where schools have shut down over coronavirus fears.

A key reason Democrats say they must maintain the congressional schedule is to vote on coronavirus-related legislation.

“We're keeping our schedule,” said Rep. David Cicilline (R.I.), the head of the Democrats’ messaging arm. “We think it's very important to stay here and do our work.”

But no one could say for sure when the next round of legislation is coming.

"As soon as possible,” said Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.), head of the House Appropriations Committee.

There's been some disagreement about who has the ultimate authority to make the decision to close the Capitol. Pelosi said Monday that it was up to the Capitol physician and Capitol Police.

Asked by The Hill if she would extend next week’s spring recess, Pelosi replied: “That’s not planned.”

Endangered Democrats facing tough reelections this fall are also feeling the heat to show their constituents back home that they are working in Washington to help workers harmed by the coronavirus, including hourly workers employed by hotels, restaurants and retail stores whose roles don't allow them to work from home.

There are “lots of conversations about whether we should go home or stay here,” freshman Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), who flipped a GOP-held seat in the 2018 midterms, said as he left the meeting. “Many of us, myself included, feel we should be here, providing oversight to this administration and policy that's going to help protect the nation.”

But asked if he felt safe working in the Capitol complex, Phillips replied: “Nobody should feel safe. We can just make our best effort to protect ourselves and those with whom we work and with whom we interact.

“Safety is relative in an epidemic.”


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 116th; coronavirus; democrats; nadler; pelosi; speakerpelosi; ushouse; washingdc; witch
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To: jazusamo
Darn. I was hoping they'd follow Nadless and run away, while Trump stayed at the helm.

Nan made the right call. Broken clock and all that . . .

21 posted on 03/10/2020 10:58:51 AM PDT by colorado tanker
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To: jazusamo

Does this mean her plans to shut down Congress didn’t poll well?


22 posted on 03/10/2020 10:59:56 AM PDT by Moonman62 (Charity comes from wealth.)
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To: jazusamo

Maybe we should lock them IN the Capitol.


23 posted on 03/10/2020 11:00:13 AM PDT by real saxophonist (Norovirus survivor; Hey Coronavirus - Bring it!)
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To: jazusamo

That would interfere with grandstanding and pontificating on TV.


24 posted on 03/10/2020 11:02:02 AM PDT by bigbob (Trust Trump. Trust the Plan.)
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To: Moonman62

I think you nailed that, otherwise they’d be going home.


25 posted on 03/10/2020 11:03:31 AM PDT by jazusamo (Have You Donated to Keep Free Republic Up and Running?)
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To: jazusamo

How many laptops did they give the Awans?


26 posted on 03/10/2020 11:04:16 AM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change with out notice.)
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To: jazusamo

You’ll take this leadership spot from me when you pry it from my cold dead hands!


27 posted on 03/10/2020 11:04:37 AM PDT by glorgau
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To: jazusamo

The way Pelosi runs the House of Representatives,the Captain of the RMS Titanic was more qualified to do his job.


28 posted on 03/10/2020 11:04:40 AM PDT by puppypusher ( The world is going to the dogs.)
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To: jazusamo

In her own mind.


29 posted on 03/10/2020 11:05:39 AM PDT by b4its2late (A Liberal is a person who will give away everything he doesn't own.)
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To: jazusamo
ec6b581d2a4ee1f6ed599c2e0192f81d
30 posted on 03/10/2020 11:06:00 AM PDT by RckyRaCoCo (Please Pray For My Brother Ken)
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To: jazusamo
Just like:

Democrat_Brain_Talking

31 posted on 03/10/2020 11:07:38 AM PDT by SkyDancer ( ~ Just Consider Me A Random Fact Generator ~ Eat Sleep Fly Repeat ~)
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To: RckyRaCoCo

32 posted on 03/10/2020 11:08:20 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: real saxophonist

...see who’s alive after a week...


33 posted on 03/10/2020 11:09:07 AM PDT by real saxophonist (Norovirus survivor; Hey Coronavirus - Bring it!)
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Arthur Wildfire! March; Berosus; Bockscar; cardinal4; ColdOne; ...
No, she's not, and neither are "they". It's called separation of powers. Thanks jazusamo.

34 posted on 03/10/2020 11:09:19 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: SkyDancer

Excellent! LOL!


35 posted on 03/10/2020 11:10:18 AM PDT by jazusamo (Have You Donated to Keep Free Republic Up and Running?)
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To: jazusamo
The California democrats got this. Just like when they let homelessness, trash, poo, and needles pile up in their state until medieval diseases broke out.

We have nothing to worry about (/s😱).

36 posted on 03/10/2020 11:11:08 AM PDT by Pajamajan ( Pray for our nation. Thank the Lord for everything you have. Don't ? wait do it today.)
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To: jazusamo

37 posted on 03/10/2020 11:12:28 AM PDT by sevinufnine
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To: jazusamo

Nadler to Nancy: I would be safer in New York City than here.

Hey Jer, just self-quarantine.


38 posted on 03/10/2020 11:17:43 AM PDT by ameribbean expat (Attention! All persons having the corona virus...please report to the nearest IRS office. Thank you.)
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To: Vermont Lt

Nah, they won’t die from it.

THIS is how you know THEY have a personal stockpile of the Gilead drug for themselves and their families.


39 posted on 03/10/2020 11:19:55 AM PDT by Black Agnes
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To: jazusamo

It is too risky for them to continue confirming judges.


40 posted on 03/10/2020 11:20:09 AM PDT by UnwashedPeasant (Trump is solving the world's problems only to distract us from Russia.)
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