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The
Texas House Democratic Caucus said in an emailed statement that
it's now providing daily COVID testing for the more than 50
lawmakers who fled Texas. So far, five delegation members have
tested positive for COVID - and all are fully vaccinated.
The delegation members met last week with several top leaders,
including Vice President Kamala Harris.
Harris' office said that they did not think the vice president,
who is fully vaccinated, nor her staff were at risk of exposure
as they were not in close contact with any of the five
delegation members who have tested positive.
Harris visited Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
hospital on Sunday for a previously scheduled medical
appointment that was not connected to the situation with the
Texas Democrats, her office said.
COVID-19 cases in the United States have surged over the past
week with new cases up 70% and deaths rising 26%.
The Texas Democrats last Monday left a special legislative
session called by Republican Governor Greg Abbott to pass a new
voting law and other measures.
The proposed voting law would prohibit drive-through and 24-hour
voting locations, add new identification requirements to mail-in
voting and empower partisan poll watchers.
Democratic lawmakers staged a similar walkout on May 30 to
boycott a vote on an earlier version of the voting legislation
just before the legislature's regular session ended, prompting
Abbott to call the special session.
Texas is one of a number of Republican-led states pushing new
voting restrictions in the name of enhancing election security,
citing former President Donald Trump's false claims that his
November election defeat was the result of widespread fraud.
(Reporting by Brad Brooks in Lubbock, Texas, and Steve Holland
in Washington; Editing by Michael Perry)
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