Meanwhile, Matt Schlapp, the chairman of the American Conservative Union, also has acknowledged he interacted with the individual at CPAC who tested positive for coronavirus and appeared alongside Trump on the final day of the conference, where they were seen shaking hands.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who was the first lawmaker to announce he would self-quarantine, also met with Trump and other Republicans at the White House last week to discuss immigration.
Collins — who is running for Senate in Georgia and is the ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee until March 12 — joined Trump on his visit to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta on Friday. The CPAC conference took place between Feb. 24-27.
Collins and Meadows also attended a meeting at the White House last Tuesday with Trump and several other GOP lawmakers, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy where they discussed a set of expiring surveillance provisions.
“This afternoon, I was notified by CPAC that they discovered a photo of myself and the patient who has tested positive for coronavirus. While I feel completely healthy and I am not experiencing any symptoms, I have decided to self-quarantine at my home for the remainder of the 14-day period out of an abundance of caution,” Collins said in a statement.
“I will follow the recommendations of the House Physician and my office will provide updates as appropriate,” he added.
Gaetz — who wore a gas mask on the House floor last week during a vote on a coronavirus funding package — has been tested for the virus and will remain under self-quarantine.
“Congressman Gaetz was informed today that he came in to contact with a CPAC attendee 11 days ago who tested positive for COVID-19,” Gaetz’s office said in a statement. “While the Congressman is not experiencing symptoms, he received testing today and expects results soon. Under doctor’s usual precautionary recommendations, he’ll remain self-quarantined until the 14-day period expires this week.”
Gaetz’s office was not informed by CPAC organizers that he interacted with the infected individual until he was mid-flight on Air Force One, according to a source familiar with the situation. But once he landed, Gaetz was immediately tested for the virus.
Gaetz, Collins and Meadows join a growing list of lawmakers who are taking precautionary measures amid concerns in Congress about contacting the disease.
Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Calif.) announced that she is closing her Washington office and will practice “social distancing” after she met with an individual in Washington, D.C. last week who tested positive for coronavirus.
In addition to Cruz, Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) announced Sunday evening that he had decided to “self-quarantine” after coming into contact with the infected CPAC attendee.
Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and a number of other lawmakers also attended the annual conservative gathering.
Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas.) tweeted Monday that he would not self-quarantine despite having possibly been exposed at CPAC.
„After CDC physician called me Sunday evening, and we discussed all the specific circumstances of which he was aware along with my circumstances, including that I was and am asymptomatic, he said that all things considered, I was cleared to return to Washington,“ he wrote.
Source: politico.com
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