Senator Marsha Blackburn went to the Senate floor "to call out President Biden, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and left-wing leaders on their COVID hysteria."
She said, "We are going to continue to have COVID-19 in our presence. We know that, but we also know that what is happening today is not necessarily about masks. This is about continuing to perpetrate these lockdowns. We've had a series of lockdowns…(and the left was) pulling back on freedom, giving power to the government, and lessening the ability for individual choices.
That's what this is about.
"All of this is not rational. There is no evidence, none, to suggest that yet another about–face on masking is going to keep people healthier–is going to make them healthier. There is no evidence for that.
"So let's call it what it is. This is left-wing hysteria. This is hysteria. Frighten people. Make them think a lockdown's coming. Make them think things are worse than what they are. No, this is the United States of America. We do not lock up people we disagree with. We don't push forward with this type of activity. We don't silence our opponents. We believe in free speech. We believe in individuals being able to make their choices, and I think that it is fair to say that what the Speaker of the House has done is not trusting the science that brought us this vaccine.
"There is no deliberation that appears to have gone into this newest mandate from the Speaker of the House, but you don't need deliberation when you've decided that you can just resort to threats such as locking up staffers and visitors if they do not wear a mask on the House side."