House Republicans have been fighting with Capitol Police and ignoring the security screenings, so Pelosi announced she will fine the Republicans if they don’t follow the rules.
Speaker Pelosi said in a statement provided to PoliticusUSA:
On behalf of the House, I express my deepest gratitude to the U.S. Capitol Police for the valor that they showed during the deadly insurrection on the Capitol, as they protected the lives of the staff and the Congress.
Sadly, just days later, many House Republicans have disrespected our heroes by verbally abusing them and refusing to adhere to basic precautions keeping members of our Congressional community, including the Capitol Police, safe. The House will soon move forward with a rule change imposing fines on those who refuse to abide by these protections. The fine for the first offense will be $5,000 and $10,000 for the second offense. The fines will be deducted directly from Members’ salaries by the Chief Administrative Officer.
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It is tragic that this step is necessary, but the Chamber of the People’s House must and will be safe.
Some House Republicans have been getting into disputes with the Capitol Police, refusing to pass through the metal detectors, and ignoring instructions when they set off the detectors.
It is a shame that elected members of Congress can’t follow basic rules designed to keep everyone safe. Being required to go through a safety screening the week after a violent attack on the Capitol is not a violation of personal liberties. A mask requirement on the House floor during a pandemic is not censorship.
Speaker Pelosi isn’t fooling around, and if the same people who enabled the insurrectionists won’t take safety seriously, she is going to hit them right in the wallets until they grow up.
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Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
