Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, a Republican, has been tested positive for COVID-19, the infection caused by SARS-CoV-2.
On Tuesday, Grassley, 87, confirmed his diagnosis on Twitter, reassuring the public that he has been “feeling good” and expecting to continue his duties from home while he has been quarantined.
“I’ve tested positive for coronavirus,” he tweeted. “I’ll b following my doctors’ orders/CDC guidelines & continue to quarantine. I’m feeling good + will keep up on my work for the ppl of Iowa from home. I appreciate everyone’s well wishes + prayers &look fwd to resuming my normal schedule soon.”
Grassley is now one of several high-ranking Republican figures to have contracted COVID-19.
On Tuesday, it was the first time Grassley missed a vote on the Senate floor in 27 years. “The Republican lawmaker is third in line to succeed the president, following the vice president and speaker of the House of Representatives,” according to NPR.
The U.S. death toll from the novel coronavirus continues to rise, with officials reporting more than 254,000 deaths, but some prominent Republican figures have still neglected public health guidelines about wearing facemasks and practicing social distancing. “Grassley has been seen wearing a mask on Capitol Hill,” per the NPR.
On Monday, Republican Senator Ted Cruz called his colleague Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown “a complete ass” for wearing a mask when nobody is around him,
Sen. Cruz wrote, “This is idiotic. @SherrodBrown is being a complete ass. He wears a mask to speak—when nobody is remotely near him—as an ostentatious sign of fake virtue.@DanSullivan_AK was over 50 feet away, presiding. Last I checked 50 feet is more than 6 feet.”
More than 24 Congress members have now tested positive for COVID-19 or been presumed positive for the virus, according to NPR’s tracker of the virus in the Capitol .
On Monday evening, Grassley gave brief remarks on the Senate floor without wearing a mask. However, he did wear one later during votes. He also spoke about appropriations and COVID-19 relief. The article originally appeared on NPR.
