GOP Congressman Tests Positive For COVID-19 In Breakthrough Case Hours After Presiding Over House Floor Debate

Republican Kentucky Congressman Brett Guthrie has confirmed that he contracted COVID-19 in an announcement he made via Twitter on Wednesday evening, hours after presiding over a debate on the House floor.

In a statement via the social media platform, the GOP member said at 7:42 p.m., “Out of an abundance of caution, I took a COVID-19 test, and it came back positive today. I am glad I decided to get fully vaccinated, and I am experiencing mild symptoms."

The congressman also noted that both his offices in Kentucky’s Second District and Washington, D.C. would remain open to assist his constituents while he recovers, the Daily Beast reported.

Before his diagnosis, the top Republican on the Health Subcommittee of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce had been facilitating a debate on various bills concerning the research for treating several diseases.

He would ultimately cast floor votes by proxy shortly after his health announcement on Wednesday.

However, it remains unknown whether the Kentucky Republican was feeling any COVID-19 symptoms before or while he was managing the House floor debate amid speculations it may have prompted him to take a COVID-19 test.

Guthrie, who represents the commonwealth's 2nd Congressional District in the House of Representatives, is not the first member of Kentucky's congressional delegation to test positive for the virus, according to Wave3.

Sen. Rand Paul was the first known U.S. senator to contract COVID-19, which was followed by Rep. Thomas Massie, who announced in August 2020 that he had returned a positive test for coronavirus antibodies.

Despite being fully vaccinated against coronavirus, Guthrie is also among at least 19 members of Congress who have tested positive for COVID-19. In a recent tally, 15 members of the House and four of the Senate picked up the virus in recent months.

Meanwhile, four other House Republicans, Clay Higgins of Louisiana, Barry Moore of Alabama, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, and Jim Jordan of Ohio, have disclosed their previous COVID-19 battles.

However, it is not clear if they were already inoculated, with Jordan particularly deciding to withhold his vaccination status in a recent interview where he revealed his COVID-19 diagnosis over the summer.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, lawmakers are required to mask up on the House floor unless they must speak during debate. Fines for disregarding the health protocols in the chamber were enacted earlier this year, beginning at $500. It goes up to $2,500 for subsequent offenses, The Hill noted.