The House Ethics Committee upheld Fines against Three Republican Lawmakers who the Sergeant-at-Arms determined Failed to Comply with the Chamber’s Rule requiring Face Masks, the Committee announced. on Friday.

The $500 Penalties were originally Imposed against Reps. Beth Van Duyne (R-TX, 24th District), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA, 17th District), and Brian Mast (R-FL, 18th District), back in May, in accordance with a, since Reversed Resolution, requiring Members to wear Masks on the House Floor.

Van Duyne and Mast both filed Appeals with the Committee on May 24th after Notification of the Fines, though a Majority of Members did Not agree to the Appeals, the Committee announced.

Under House Rules, those Fined are allowed to file an Appeal with the Ethics Committee, which then Reviews the Circumstances and Decides whether orNnot to Uphold the Penalty with a Majority Vote.

"I appeal this violation and fine on several grounds," Mast wrote in his Appeal. "First, on the date of my alleged violation, I was in full compliance with Center[s] for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance. I am fully vaccinated and followed the science, which on May 13, 2021, was updated by the CDC to state that 'fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask or physically distance in any setting.' ... Second, H.Res. 73 is in violation of Article 1, Section 5; Article 1, Section 6; and the 27th Amendment of the United States Constitution. Therefore, it is without merit and unenforceable." Mast added in a statement reported by multiple outlets that the "unlawful" fine demonstrated Speaker Nancy Pelosi's mandate was "never ... about following the science. It has always been about power and control."

Van Duyne's Appeal cited the same Justifications as Mast's and Charged that the "enforcement of any mask rule has become a partisan, political issue, rather than one grounded in science," noting Pelosi was seen last month at the White House without a Mask amid a Crowd of Maskless People.

Miller-Meeks did Not File an Appeal within a Timeline provided for by House Rules, the Committee said.

The Three Republicans were among a Group of more than a Dozen House Lawmakers who took Off their Masks in Defiance of the Requirement on May 18th.

Legislators who spoke about the Incident cited Updated Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention saying that Vaccinated Individuals do Not have to wear Masks Indoors or Outside.

Brian Monahan, Congress's Attending Physician, Changed the Chamber's Official Guidance on June 11th to state that People who have been Vaccinated against COVID-19 may go Without Face Masks on the House Floor. Those who have Not been Fully Vaccinated Must still wear a Mask, the Updated Guidance says. It is Not clear whether or how Vaccination Status will be Checked for those Not wearing Masks on the House Floor.










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