Coronavirus has hit Capitol Hill, as the first members of Congress have tested positive for the virus.
Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) and Ben McAdams (D-Utah) announced diagnoses late Wednesday. Diaz-Balart’s office said he had developed symptoms Saturday evening and was notified Wednesday of a positive test. Both had voted on the House floor as recently as Saturday morning, to pass the coronavirus relief bill.
Rep. Ben McAdams, D-Utah (Left), Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla. (Right)
At least five other members of Congress are quarantining because they had contact with the lawmakers, including Rep. Steve Scalise, the second-highest ranking Republican in the House.
Some lawmakers had been pushing for ways to vote remotely, particularly since congressional members are disproportionately in higher-risk categories for coronavirus complications. Forty-eight senators are over the age of 65, the age at which some states have recommended individuals to stay inside their homes.
Senator Dick Durban (D-Ill.) has said “it’s time for the Senate to wake up to the 21st century and make sure we’re using technology that allows us to communicate with each other without any danger or risk to public health.”
The state representative from Coral Gables, Fla., says now is the time for President Trump to prove he's a leader who can do things differently by banning bump stocks and improving background checks. And if he can't get Congress on board, he should sign an executive order.
The teenage survivors of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School are genuinely motivated to change gun control laws, says State Representative Jared Moskowitz. The Democrat from Coral Gables, Fla., says that if adults aren't able to get anything done, then we have to listen to our children.
Students across Florida -- and the nation -- held walkouts in solidarity with Parkland, Fla., Wednesday. The protests come one day after Florida House Republicans blocked a move by Democrats to debate a ban on assault weapons in the state. State Representative Jared Moskowitz (D-Coral Springs) explains the response inside Florida's Capitol to the student protests for more gun control.
On Between Bells: Talking to kids about gun violence, Dallas Mavericks under fire, restaurant servers fight tip-pooling laws, and more. With Eater, Parents Magazine, and Popular Science.
The Parkland shootings are forcing parents to grapple with how to talk to their children about gun violence. Parents Magazine's Liz Vaccariello joins Cheddar to discuss how to approach these challenging conversations.
Gersh Kuntzman, deputy politics editor at Newsweek, discusses President Trump's request for the Justice Department to ban bump stocks, devices that turn legal guns into machine guns.
In the aftermath of the Parkland mass shooting that left 17 dead and many more wounded, lawmakers are seeking solutions to prevent further tragedies. Cheddar spoke with RNC spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany about how Republicans plan to handle the controversial issue.
The actor and producer's new documentary "Survivors Guide To Prison" looks at the system through the eyes of wrongly-convicted prisoners. Arquette hopes the documentary will inspire change.
Marijuana advocates are awaiting a federal judge's decision on its challenge against federal marijuana laws. Five plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against the DEA and Attorney General Jeff Sessions. It challenges the listing of marijuana as a schedule I drug, which classifies the drug as having no medical use and it cannot be legally prescribed. Jose Belen, U.S. Army combat veteran and one of the plaintiffs on this case, and attorney Joseph Bondy explain why they were inspired to fight for this cause.
