Two members of the U.S. House announced Wednesday that they tested positive for the coronavirus as the government tries to mitigate its spread and protect the endangered U.S. economy.
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, a Florida Republican, developed symptoms over the weekend and has been working from an apartment in Washington while in quarantine, according to a statement from his office.
A short time later, Ben McAdams, a Utah Democrat, said that he, too, had tested positive.
Diaz-Balart, 58, began to feel ill with a fever and a headache after the House voted Saturday on an expansive spending bill to respond to the spreading virus, which has brought the economy almost to a halt.
“I want everyone to know that I am feeling much better,” Diaz-Balart said in a statement. “However, it is important that everyone take this extremely seriously and follow CDC guidelines in order to avoid getting sick and mitigate the spread of this virus. We must continue to work together to emerge stronger as a country during these trying times.”
Diaz-Balart, who lives in Miami, was first elected to the House in 2002, and before that served in the Florida Legislature. He didn’t return to Florida following the House vote because his wife, Tia, has pre-existing conditions that put her at “exceptionally high risk,” his office said.
McAdams, 45, a former mayor of Salt Lake City who was elected to Congress in 2018, said in a statement that he “developed mild, cold-like symptoms” on Sunday after returning from Washington. He then came down with a fever and his breathing became labored. “Today, I learned that I tested positive,” he said, adding that he remains in quarantine and is working by phone.
The Senate Wednesday approved the House measure, sending it to President Donald Trump for his signature. It includes paid sick leave, food assistance for vulnerable populations and financial help for coronavirus testing. It’s the second spending bill related to the virus and Congress is already at work on a third bill, which is estimated to cost $1.3 trillion.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate won’t adjourn until they vote on the third spending bill, telling senators to stay “close” as the body is “moving rapidly because the situation demands it.”
The House is on recess this week. Several congressional staffers also have tested positive for the virus.
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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