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Members of the House of Representatives were given KN95 masks to wear on the chamber floor with “MADE IN CHINA” stamped on the side.
Fox News received a photo of one of the distributed masks, which are now required to be worn in order for a member to access the House floor.
The House physician recently ordered lawmakers to replace their cloth masks with N95 or KN95 masks to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 omicron variant.
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Lawmakers were reportedly not happy with the distribution of masks, which were delivered to member offices from the Office of the Attending Physician.
A KN95 mask distributed to a House of Representatives offices
House GOP Doctors Caucus chairman Brad Wenstrup of Ohio told Fox News Thursday that the U.S.’s “insecure supply chain presents a much greater risk to our overall national health.”
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“The fact that the masks we are mandated to wear in the U.S. Congress are made in China is just one example of our inabilities to protect and treat Americans without relying on adversaries,” Wenstrup continued. “These Chinese masks further highlight our need to divest away from the [Chinese Communist Party]. Our national security and our health depend on it.”
U.S. Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio
“As usual, Speaker Pelosi fails to recognize the senseless optics of her own decision-making,” Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., said Thursday. “We are fighting a virus that came from China, yet the Speaker is comfortable with publicly supporting a Chinese manufacturer, sending our taxpayer dollars overseas and further advertising our dependency on China … on the faces of Congress.
“Either Pelosi’s office neglected to realize the cruel irony of supporting ‘Made in China’ or they don’t care.”
Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., walks down the House steps after a vote in the Capitol Sept. 15, 2020. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., suggested to Fox News it is fitting “for the Democrats to be handing out masks that were made in the same place the virus originated.”
The mask upgrade comes as omicron cases around the country continue to increase.
Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., makes an opening statement during the House Judiciary Committee markup of the articles of impeachment against President Trump in Longworth Building Dec. 11, 2019. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Omicron, however, remains one of the weaker COVID strains in terms of virulence, but it is highly contagious.
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The virus’ transmissibility has led to a national uptick in cases, prompting some governors to declare public health emergencies in their states.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, a Democrat, recently declared such an emergency this week, citing the omicron variant and extending his emergency powers that were about to expire.
Pelosi’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment.
