Mandating procedures to ensure adequate precautions against COVIDâ€“19 in Senate buildings.

Mandating procedures to ensure adequate precautions against COVIDâ€“19 in Senate buildings. Whereas, on March 13, 2020, the COVIDâ€“19 outbreak in the United States was declared a national emergency under the National Emergencies Act ( 50 U.S.C. 1601 Whereas, as of August 7, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hasâ€” (1) recommended that people wear masks in public settings and when around people who donâ€™t live in [their] household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain. (2) stated that masks may help prevent people who have COVIDâ€“19 from spreading the virus to others masks are most likely to reduce the spread of COVIDâ€“19 when they are widely used by people in public settings. Whereas, as of October 5, 2020, nearly 7,500,000 people in the United States had contracted COVIDâ€“19, and nearly 210,000 people in the United States have died as a result of COVIDâ€“19; Whereas the United States accounts for approximately 4.25 percent of the worldâ€™s population but, as of October 5, 2020, people in the United States account for over 20 percent of those killed by COVIDâ€“19 globally; and Whereas the Senate has seen an increase in the number of Senators diagnosed with COVIDâ€“19: Now, therefore, be it 1. Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress thatâ€” (1) it is essential to the continuity of government that the United States Government and officials adhere to public health guidance in order to combat the spread of COVIDâ€“19; and (2) the absence of a coordinated and comprehensive COVIDâ€“19 strategy in the Senate is a threat to the legislative branch. 2. Procedures for COVIDâ€“19 protection (a) Definitions In this sectionâ€” (1) the term Senate building (2) the term Senate worker (A) an employee whose pay is disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate; or (B) an employee of a contractor of an office or agency in the legislative branch whose regular duty station is in a Senate building. (b) Mask use All individuals shall wear a mask while in any public area of a Senate building. The Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate shall issue guidance or regulations to carry out this subsection. (c) Adherence to social distancing guidelines All individuals shall adhere to guidance and recommendations of the Office of the Attending Physician with respect to social distancing while in a Senate building. (d) Testing and contact tracing program The Office of the Attending Physician, Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate, and Secretary of the Senate, in consultation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Health of the District of Columbia, shall develop and implement a program to conductâ€” (1) COVIDâ€“19 testing ofâ€” (A) Senators; and (B) Senate workers who will be physically present in a Senate building in connection with the duties of the Senate worker; and (2) contact tracing with respect to any Senator or Senate worker who tests positive for COVIDâ€“19.

Summary: This resolution requires all individuals in a Senate building to (1) adhere to social distancing guidelines, and (2) wear a mask while in any public area. It also requires the Senate to develop and implement a COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) testing and contact tracing program for Senators and Senate workers.