WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) issued the following statement after her husband, Conan Harris, received a positive COVID-19 test yesterday evening. Harris accompanied Pressley to Washington, DC for her swearing-in ceremony last week and was with her in the Capitol complex throughout the January 6 attack. Harris has shown mild symptoms and remains in isolation, along with Pressley and staff in close contact per guidance from the attending physician.
“As my colleagues and I sought shelter from the white supremacist mob that violently attacked our seat of government, we were greeted by a different threat—one posed by my callous Republican colleagues who, in this crowded and confined space, repeatedly refused to wear masks when offered. Their arrogant disregard for the lives of others is infuriating, but not surprising, and we are seeing the consequences of it daily, as several of my colleagues—and now my husband—test positive for COVID-19. Like many families in Massachusetts and all across the country who have been impacted by this pandemic, I am deeply outraged by the criminal negligence of the current administration in responding to this crisis, along with their accomplices in Congress who continue to downplay the severity of a virus that has claimed the lives of over 380,000 Americans.
“As Congress proceeds with impeachment and removal of a president who openly incited a violent and racist assault on our democratic process, we must also ensure adequate protocols are in place to protect the health and safety of Members of Congress, congressional staff, Capitol support and service workers, and journalists. That includes a strict mask mandate for everyone in the building, serious fines and immediate removal from the House floor and House buildings for those who refuse to comply, and access to free, universal COVID-19 testing.
“While Conan and I will remain in isolation in the coming days, I will continue to carry out my duties as the Representative for the people of the Massachusetts 7th Congressional District and look forward to holding this lawless president accountable for endangering our lives and our democracy.”
The Attending Physician of the United States Congress advised Members and staff on Sunday that those in the secured room could have, “been exposed to another occupant with coronavirus infection.” As previously reported, Pressley, Harris, and Pressley’s Chief of Staff were in various locations in the Capitol complex on January 6, including this secure room.
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