As Coronavirus Cases Spike, Many GOP Lawmakers Back Masks and Tests

06/27/2020
Wall Street Journal

WASHINGTON—Many congressional Republicans are throwing their support behind the use of masks and robust testing as coronavirus cases spike in some GOP-led states, taking a more urgent stance on the matter than President Trump.

The shift comes as new coronavirus cases hit a daily record of nearly 40,000 on Thursday, and Republican governors took new measures to stop its spread. On Friday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott required bars to close at noon except for delivery and takeout. In Arizona, state policy initially didn’t mandate face coverings, but GOP Gov. Doug Ducey recently let local governments make their own rules, paving the way for cities and counties to require their use.

Faced with rising infections and hospitalizations, many GOP lawmakers representing a swath of southern and western states are increasingly urging their constituents to wear masks, socially distance and get tested.

“I don’t support another lockdown—that hurt our economy so bad,” said Rep. Debbie Lesko (R., Ariz.). She said she attended Mr. Trump’s rally in Tulsa, Okla., last weekend wearing an N95 mask—which blocks 95% of very small airborne particles—because many of the attendees had no face coverings. “If we have to go around wearing masks, maybe that’s the answer.”

Mr. Trump has eschewed wearing a face covering and hasn’t pressed Americans to don them, while also repeatedly noting that more testing leads to more positive tests. He held an indoor rally last weekend with no mask or social-distancing requirements and said he would wind down federal funding for some testing centers at month’s end. In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, he called masks a “double-edged sword,” saying people can be careless when using them.

As cases spike, Republicans in Congress said they would be very reluctant to impose any new lockdown measures that could hinder an economic recovery. But some said they hoped wearing masks would enable states to avoid business closures.

“We’ve seen a spike now and we need to be more disciplined than that, maybe we’re not being as careful as we should be,” Rep. Chris Stewart (R., Utah) said of the situation in his home state. “I think we’re realizing that, yeah there’s still a threat, and we need to be more careful than we have been.”

Some Republicans not fully sold on masks said they were better than the alternative.

“I don’t think that’s settled science, but I am willing to say if that’s a condition of getting our economy back on track, I’m willing to follow the rules,” said Rep. Rick Crawford (R., Ark.).

Public-health experts say the wearing of masks helps limit the virus’s spread. Democrats say many Republicans were reluctant to embrace masks and other preventive measures because they didn’t want to break with the White House. Some states reopened parts of the economy too early due to political considerations, Democrats say.

“We’re seeing a second outbreak and part of this is due to the macho behavior of Republicans,” said Rep. Jim Cooper (D., Tenn.). “The fatal problem is the time lag because by the time people get religion on this issue, it’s too late and the epidemic has restarted.”

Still, few GOP lawmakers in states seeing a surge in cases said they saw a need for Congress to approve more state or local aid beyond the $150 billion passed in the Cares Act, the $2 trillion stimulus package passed in March, though many would grant more flexibility in spending it.

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While House Democrats passed another major relief bill last month, Senate Republicans are waiting until mid-July before they commit to passing another bill.  Trump administration officials have floated a variety of measures, including sending another round of checks to individual Americans.

“I’ve never had a request for less money since I’ve been in Congress,” said Rep. Bruce Westerman (R., Ark.). "So you’re always going to get requests from people, they have needs and concerns. But you’ve also got a tremendous amount of money from the Cares Act.”

At the same time, GOP lawmakers have also emphasized the need for more federally backed testing, pushing back on the administration’s announcement this week that it wouldn’t extend federal funding beyond the June 30 deadline for 13 testing centers around the country.

Texas GOP Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz sent a letter Thursday to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Pete Gaynor asking them to extend federal funding for testing sites in Texas.

“Now is not the time to end federal support of a program that is working and successfully increasing testing capacity,” the two senators wrote.

As the coronavirus’ impact has shifted from blue states to red states, the early partisan divide over wearing masks has also diminished on Capitol Hill. Although some House Republicans tangled with Democrats this week over the need to wear masks in congressional hearings, many GOP lawmakers have embraced wearing masks and called on their constituents to follow suit.

“People need to follow the instructions: socially distance, wear the damn masks,” said Sen. Marco Rubio (R., Fla.).

But while Republicans have ramped up their calls for voluntary precautions, most have drawn the line at stricter prohibitions, including a ban on large indoor gatherings. Others said they would defer to local regulations.

“I am not doing that as part of my campaign at this point in time, but I wouldn’t hesitate to go if I were asked,” Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R., Tenn.) said of indoor rallies.

Recent surveys show Republicans more willing to return to prepandemic activities than Democrats. When it comes to the virus’s impact, 61% of Republicans and GOP-leaning independents said “the worst is behind us,” according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted June 16-22. By contrast, 76% of Democrats think the worst is still to come, the survey of 4,708 adults found.

Some Republicans said that their states were better prepared to continue with some semblance of normal life because experts now have a better understanding of how to prevent its spread.

“I would say that today compared to March we know a lot more about how to target, contain, train and manage the virus,” said Rep. French Hill (R., Ark.).