Masks are no longer required on the House floor for fully vaccinated individuals, after the Office of the Attending Physician released updated guidelines on Friday.
Fox News is told that the decrease in community transmission and the increase in the rate of vaccination triggered this decision.
The overall rate of vaccination for the Capitol complex is 85%, higher than that of the general public, Fox is told. Members who are not fully vaccinated must continue to wear a mask.
Members will also no longer vote in groups, and each vote will only last 20 minutes.
Republicans had previously staged protests over the continued mask requirement, despite a change in Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidance on May 13 that said vaccinated individuals did not need to wear masks in most public settings.
Four GOP members were fined $500 each for refusing to wear a mask on the floor. Seven other fellow Republican members of Congress were issued warnings: Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Chip Roy of Texas, Bob Good of Virginia, Mary Miller of Illinois and Louie Gohmert of Texas. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the next fine could be $2,500.
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