Several House Republicans are declining invitations to attend a White House reception for freshman House members in protest of the event's COVID rules.
It also denies the White House an opportunity to make potentially crucial inroads with Republican lawmakers, including at least one from a district Biden won in 2020.Rep. Nick LaLota said in a statement that he declined the invitation because members are required to produce a negative COVID test 24 hours in advance and present either proof of vaccination or masking up and socially distancing.
"I am forgoing a historic trip to the White House to raise awareness of this punitive policy in hopes that President Biden will reverse it and other arbitrary, outdated and unscientific restrictions across the federal system," said LaLota, whose district went for Biden by 4 points. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna is declining for the same reason. "Rep. Luna will not be attending. Even the CDC has recognized that COVID is no longer a pandemic," her spokesperson Edie Heipel told Axios.
Rep. Mike Collins "has moved on from the pandemic and doesn’t plan on attending anything that still requires testing," his spokesperson DJ Griffin told Axios.: "President Biden declared on national television that the pandemic was over. However, the White House is requiring a negative COVID test to attend tonight’s taxpayer funded soirée. I politely decline.
Rep. Anthony D'Esposito , whose district is one of the bluest represented by a Republican, also plans to attend, but embattled fellow Long Island Rep. George Santos does not,Rep. Robert Garcia, the Democrats' freshman class president, is attending and told Axios in a statement, “We are very grateful to the President for inviting the entire freshman class to a reception. Taking a COVID test is a reasonable and responsible approach to keeping everyone safe and healthy.
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