Rep. Dingell to introduce bill that would fine members $1,000 a day for not wearing masks in Capitol

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Washington Post

Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) plans to introduce legislation Tuesday to impose a $1,000 fine on members who refuse to wear masks while in the U.S. Capitol complex. The legislation would amend House rules to add that lawmakers are required to wear masks in the complex. If the Ethics committee “determines that any Member, Delegate or Resident Commissioner” is in violation, the committee “shall fine such individual $1,000 for each day that such violation occurs.”

The proposed bill is set to be introduced after three Democratic lawmakers revealed that they have tested positive for the coronavirus after sheltering with other lawmakers, including some who refused to wear masks, during the lockdown at the U.S. Capitol last week. “It is not brave to refuse to wear a mask, it is selfish, stupid, and shameful behavior that puts lives at risk,” Dingell said in a statement to The Washington Post. “Days ago, a colleague of ours died from this virus and left behind a beautiful, young family to mourn his loss. Yet still, in the midst of a deadly assault on our United States Capitol, a number of our Republican colleagues laughed off rules designed to keep not just their colleagues safe, but to protect the lives of the teams of workers keeping things going, law enforcement, and staff throughout the Capitol.”

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) announced late Monday night that she had tested positive, hours after Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), a 75-year-old cancer survivor, announced her diagnosis. The announcements from Jayapal and Watson Coleman came after the attending physician to Congress warned lawmakers over the weekend that those who sheltered in a large committee room together as rioters stormed the Capitol may have been exposed to someone with the virus.

A third lawmaker, Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), said Tuesday morning that he, too, had tested positive after spending “several hours in a secure but confined location with dozens of other Members of Congress.” “We can no longer tolerate Members coming to the floor or gathering in the halls of Congress without doing the bare minimum to protect those around them,” Schneider said in a statement.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/01/12/trump-impeachment-biden-transition-live-updates/#link-J2UZZXUHANGYFO2WXNUVLEKLOY

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Good!

[secondwind]

1. YES!!

[Mr. Steve]

20. Damn well yes

Yes, yes and damned well yes!!!!

[DownriverDem]

25. My Rep

love ya Debbie Dingell!

[mpcamb]

42. She's doing her old man proud.

Make it $1000 buck a day, Debbie!

[C_U_L8R]

2. There should be bigger penalties if they get anyone sick (by thoughtlessly going maskless)

[onecaliberal]

22. They infected people last week.

[wryter2000]

3. Love it!

That should pass, right?

[BumRushDaShow]

6. If it is just a "Rules" change, then it should

assuming there are no "libertarians" among the Democrats.

Of course the GOP will scream bloody murder, but as Mick Mulvaney reminded us over a year ago - "Elections have consequences".

[underpants]

4. Good.

[kirkuchiyo]

5. Its missing a zero or three

It needs to HURT. $1000 to these people is a penny to most of us.

[flibbitygiblets]

19. $1000 per minute

Ought to get their f@&king attention

[BobTheSubgenius]

23. It could be as large a figure as that, easily.

It's not like an unavoidable fee or tax, it's a penalty for bad behaviour. Don't feel it's fair to be subject to a punitive fine? Great. Don't be a dick.

See? Easy.

[Mme. Defarge]

8. Damn straight!

DO IT!!!

[PatSeg]

9. This is insane

That members of congress are still going maskless in the Capitol. I thought that they were required on the floor already, but apparently some do whatever they want.

[BumRushDaShow]

11. I think they are required when on the floor

and the GOP was reluctantly wearing them when debating the objections... But this Rules change seems to be going further to require them anywhere within the Capitol complex, since this latest super-spreader event happened in an ancillary room and not on the House floor.

[PatSeg]

13. Reasonable people wouldn't have to

be threatened with huge fines to get them to do the right thing. Their smug disregard for the health and well-being of others is appalling.

[Yeehah]

10. Just make it so it can be enforced

Too many laws and rules have been totally ignored by republicans the past four years with no consequences.

[bluestarone]

12. Do the SAME in the Senate

AFTER we gain control!!

[RockCreek]

14. Not nearly enough.

And something a crazy MAGA antimask donor can pay for them -- indirectly if not directly.
There need to be teeth to any such resolution, and that alone does not have any.

[NurseJackie]

15. Make it $5000 per day.

[kristofarian]

18. they wipe their bottoms

with $1K bills -- or they would, if they didn't have poor people doing it for them -- so, yeah, $5K might make them set up and think about it, but when ya got all them Millions, what's a measly $5K -- or even $50K/day in one's endless Fight for Freedom (to Inflict)?

[AC_Mem]

16. Question

Who, among the mask-less, passed the virus? I think he/she should be identified; if they tested everyone they should know who it is. You don't usually see the Democrats getting sick with the virus (because they take precautions) and the fact that three of them have gotten sick while in close proximity to those who refused to wear masks, is alarming. Especially since they WERE wearing masks.

Annette

[birdographer]

17. I really hope

the paperwork is VERY specific that the mask must cover nose and mouth. They will hang it from one ear and say they are "wearing" it. And WHY don't these MFs not get sick????

[KS Toronado]

21. And when they are at the podium talking, the masks stay on...NO EXCEPTIONS

Give these mask-less assholes an inch, they'll take a mile.....NO EXCEPTIONS

[George II]

24. It should be $1000 per incident.

[Leith]

26. Raise it to $10,00

We've all seen video clips where rethugs refused to accept or wear masks.

[SheltieLover]

27. Make it $10K!

[Bluethroughu]

28. Write it into law for the country

Public spaces, masks mandatory. They did that in 1918 Spanish Flu plague. Police fined people for wearing it wrong also.

[colorado_ufo]

29. Hit these selfish, arrogant, greedy jerks right where it huts them the most -

their pocket.

[samnsara]

30. give them ONE warning to mask up immediately..if not write a ticket out then and there

..these effing idiots are trying to kill us.

[BadgerKid]

31. Make sure you define "wear".

As in, not hanging one loop off of an ear, etc.

[LPBBEAR]

32. Thats fine

but drag their idiot butts out at the same time and throw them on the outside steps and tell them they can come back when they fully pay their damn fine and wear a mask......properly. No off the nose shit. If they can't do either bar them.

[The Animator]

33. It probably won't pass until we gain control of the Senate.

but that penalty needs to fucking hurt. Make it a $100,000 daily fine, an amount that would even give Mitch McConnell pause.

After two days, they would lose their entire salary for the year.

This rule should be in effect until such time as every member of Congress has been vaccinated.

It would set the proper “Do we look like we’re fucking around?” tone that is sorely needed.

[BumRushDaShow]

34. This is just a House Rules change so wouldn't go to the Senate.

[Orrex]

35. $1000 for day one, doubling daily thereafter until remedied

[cynical_idealist]

44. I like the exponential approach

since the risk increases exponentially with exposure

[Liberty Belle]

36. Make it an ethics violation and grounds for ouster if either

It is a repeat offense, or if it occurs during an emergency in which members are forced into a situation without social distancing.

If someone had pointed a gun at others that would be considered threatening their lives and they would be arrested. It should be the same with willfully exposing others to a fatal disease.

[Brainfodder]

37. Prefer public stockade for an hour with tomatoes "available".

[Evolve Dammit]

38. Next to meaningless. Refuse to let them enter or be seated would be a much more appropriate message

[COL Mustard]

39. They Should Have To Pay It Out Of Personal Funds

No campaign donations or office funds allowed, nor any GoFundMe or other crowdsourcing.

[Lasher]

41. And charge nose hangers double!

[BumRushDaShow]

43. I'm glad I wasn't sipping my coffee