参议院多数党领袖米奇·麦康奈尔（Mitch McConnell）暂停为共和党参议员提供午餐, 据他的新闻秘书道格·安德烈斯（Doug Andres）说, ahead of the Senate’s return next week.
Democrats suspended their in-person lunches in the spring as a precaution because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Coronavirus cases are surging across the country — and in Congress. 至少 11 senators have tested positive for the virus or the antibodies since the beginning of the pandemic, including at least nine Republicans.
本月初, 共和党参议员. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, 谁是 87, 宣布 he had tested positive for Covid-19. 格拉斯利, as president pro tempore, is the most senior Republican in the chamber, putting him in the presidential line of succession. He is the second-oldest member of the Senate, and is just a few months younger than Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, who is also 87.
The oldest member of the House, 共和党代表. Don Young of Alaska, 也 87, tested positive earlier this month. 多于 40 members of the House of Representatives have tested positive for the virus so far, plus several incoming members.
政治 first reported McConnell had suspended the gatherings.
The total number of deaths in the US is up to nearly 266,000 as of Saturday evening, and a fresh wave of public health restrictions have been put in place to attempt to control the spread of the virus.
Experts fear there will be even further spread of the virus throughout the country after the Thanksgiving holiday, despite warnings from public health officials not to travel or have large gatherings.
