III 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION S. CON. RES. 49 Mandating procedures to ensure adequate precautions against COVID–19 in Senate buildings. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES OCTOBER 5, 2020 Mr. KAINE (for Mr. SCHUMER (for himself and Ms. KLOBUCHAR)) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Mandating procedures to ensure adequate precautions against COVID–19 in Senate buildings. Whereas, on March 13, 2020, the COVID–19 outbreak in the United States was declared a national emergency under the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.); Whereas, as of August 7, 2020, the Centers for Disease Con- trol and Prevention has— (1) recommended ‘‘that people wear masks in public settings and when around people who don’t live in [their] household, especially when other social distancing meas- ures are difficult to maintain.’’; and (2) stated that ‘‘masks may help prevent people who have COVID–19 from spreading the virus to others’’ and ‘‘masks are most likely to reduce the spread of COVID– VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:16 Oct 05, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SC49.IS SC49 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •SCON 49 IS 19 when they are widely used by people in public set- tings.’’; Whereas, as of October 5, 2020, nearly 7,500,000 people in the United States had contracted COVID–19, and nearly 210,000 people in the United States have died as a result of COVID–19; Whereas the United States accounts for approximately 4.25 percent of the world’s population but, as of October 5, 2020, people in the United States account for over 20 percent of those killed by COVID–19 globally; and Whereas the Senate has seen an increase in the number of Senators diagnosed with COVID–19: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 1 concurring), 2 SECTION 1. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 3 It is the sense of Congress that— 4 (1) it is essential to the continuity of govern- 5 ment that the United States Government and offi- 6 cials adhere to public health guidance in order to 7 combat the spread of COVID–19; and 8 (2) the absence of a coordinated and com- 9 prehensive COVID–19 strategy in the Senate is a 10 threat to the legislative branch. 11 SEC. 2. PROCEDURES FOR COVID–19 PROTECTION. 12 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 13 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:16 Oct 05, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SC49.IS SC49 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •SCON 49 IS (1) the term ‘‘Senate building’’ means any Sen- 1 ate Office Building or the Senate Wing of the Cap- 2 itol; and 3 (2) the term ‘‘Senate worker’’ means— 4 (A) an employee whose pay is disbursed by 5 the Secretary of the Senate; or 6 (B) an employee of a contractor of an of- 7 fice or agency in the legislative branch whose 8 regular duty station is in a Senate building. 9 (b) MASK USE.—All individuals shall wear a mask 10 while in any public area of a Senate building. The Com- 11 mittee on Rules and Administration of the Senate shall 12 issue guidance or regulations to carry out this subsection. 13 (c) ADHERENCE TO SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDE- 14 LINES.—All individuals shall adhere to guidance and rec- 15 ommendations of the Office of the Attending Physician 16 with respect to social distancing while in a Senate build- 17 ing. 18 (d) TESTING AND CONTACT TRACING PROGRAM.— 19 The Office of the Attending Physician, Sergeant at Arms 20 and Doorkeeper of the Senate, and Secretary of the Sen- 21 ate, in consultation with the Centers for Disease Control 22 and Prevention and the Department of Health of the Dis- 23 trict of Columbia, shall develop and implement a program 24 to conduct— 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:16 Oct 05, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SC49.IS SC49 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •SCON 49 IS (1) COVID–19 testing of— 1 (A) Senators; and 2 (B) Senate workers who will be physically 3 present in a Senate building in connection with 4 the duties of the Senate worker; and 5 (2) contact tracing with respect to any Senator 6 or Senate worker who tests positive for COVID–19. 7 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:16 Oct 05, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SC49.IS SC49 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS