U.S. Rep. Mary Miller | Miller's Facebook page
U.S. Rep. Mary Miller | Miller's Facebook page
U.S. Rep. Mary Miller (R-Danville) is defying mask mandates in Washington.
“Enough is enough,” Miller said in a post to her Twitter page after recently going maskless on the House floor and encouraging others to follow suit.
Miller remains defiant despite Democratic House leadership refusing to change the rules requiring masks in the House chamber even though federal health officials recently updated guidance on the subject. As it is, lawmakers like Miller who refuse to wear a mask are subject to a fine of $500 for first offenses with subsequent fines potentially being as high as $2,500.
According to The Telegraph, Miller is now one of four Republican lawmakers to now face $500 fines. The others are Reps. Brian Mast of Florida, Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa and Beth Van Duyne of Texas.
Democratic leadership first imposed mask-wearing requirements last year and in recent times have been pushing even harder as Republicans have refused to go along with the mandate.
With the Centers for Disease Control recently altering its mask guidelines to now assert, “It’s safe for fully vaccinated people to skip face coverings and social distancing in virtually all situations,” the controversy has only intensified.
The updated CDC guidelines also establish that “people should still wear masks in crowded indoor locations such as airplanes, buses, hospitals and prisons.”
Lawmakers are now able to remove their masks when speaking on the House floor, but at all other times must keep them on when in the House chamber. There is no requirement for wearing masks in the Senate chamber.
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