Chuck Grassley Tests Positive for Covid-19
Iowa's Senator Chuck Grassley confirmed on social media Tuesday night that he has tested positive for Covid-19. He announced only yesterday that he has been tested for the coronavirus in Washington DC on Monday.
The senior Senator also serves as president pro tempore, which means he is third in line of presidential succession, behind Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Grassley is 87 years old and has been a Senator for nearly 40 years. On Monday morning the Associated Press reported that he opened the Senate with a reading of the Pledge of Allegiance followed by a few opening remarks. In his comments, he warned that action was needed with the virus now "hitting rural and urban areas alike". The AP reports the Senator was not wearing a mask at the time he made those comments on the floor of the Senate.
Because Grassley was unable to be in session on Tuesday, he ended his long running, 27-year streak of 8,927 continuous votes, a Senate record. He posted on his Facebook page that he is following his doctors' instructions and hopes to be back to work soon.
Republican Senator Mitch McConnell has said before that regular testing of U.S. Senators has not been necessary. But with cases rising, and hospitalizations increasing maybe those old guys should rethink that strategy.
Source: Associated Press
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