'There is a long and venerable tradition of ill or medically infirm senators being wheeled in to cast critical votes on the Senate floor,' the Arkansas Republican said.
Three Republican Senators—Mike Lee of Utah, Ron Johnson of Tennessee, and Thom Tillis of North Carolina—have tested positive for the novel coronavirus after a ceremony at the White House last Saturday announcing Barrett's nomination. President Donald Trumpand is staying at Walter Reed National Military Medical Hospital as he undergoes treatment.
During an interview with Fox Business on Sunday, Cotton dismissed concerns that the infected senators—who have entered quarantine—could impact the confirmation process for Barrett, which he asserted would happen in October before the November 3 election. "First off, I think every senator who has currently tested positive or is in isolation will be back to work under normal conditions," Cotton told host Maria Bartiromo.However, Cotton said that even if they were not done with their quarantine, the three Republicans could be brought to the Senate to cast a vote.
Senator Tom Cotton attends a Senate Banking Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on September 24 in Washington, D.C.reached out to press representatives for Lee, Johnson and Tillis for comment, but they did not respond by the time of publication. Although medically infirm senators have historically come to the Senate floor to cast crucial votes, attending while sick with a contagious virus would be quite extraordinary. It would also be counter to the guidance of the federal government. Considering the average age among senators is north of 62 years old—with several senators in their 70s, 80s or 90s—the lawmakers are a significantly higher risk population for serious complications or death from COVID-19.
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