The U.S. Capitol will cease all public tours through the end of March as the coronavirus continues to spread
The U.S. Capitol will cease all public tours through the end of March amid mounting fears of the coronavirus outbreak, according to multiple congressional sources.Speaker Nancy Pelosi informed members of the decision in a Wednesday afternoon meeting, sources said. No change to the legislative schedule has been announced.Fears of the coronavirus in Washington have shuttered schools, offices and churches across the region. But on Capitol Hill, it’s business as usual — at least for now.
"We got the attending physician and the rules committee obviously we'll listen to them, they're the experts, but there are no plans about that at the moment," Senate Majority Whip John Thune said Wednesday, adding that he hasn't fielded requests from any senators to cancel tours."I think we want to stay on business as usual here," Senate Majority Whip John Thune said.
Many members have acknowledged the crucial role that Congress plays in signaling calm to the nation, but argue that allowing hundreds of visitors to stream in and out of the building presents an unnecessary risk. It’s unclear how many House and Senate offices have decided on their own to cancel tours or opted to switch in-person meetings to telephone conferences, though dozens of lawmakers and aides say their offices are increasingly moving in that direction.
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver said he was getting questions from his staff on Wednesday about whether they should continue offering constituents tours. Cleaver said the guidance from leadership so far is to let each individual office decide, adding he planned to tell his chief of staff Wednesday afternoon that they could halt the tours until the coronavirus concerns abate.
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