Senator Bill Hagerty on Tuesday secured re-opening of the U.S. Capitol and Senate office buildings to the public after he spoke on the Senate floor and called for unanimous consent to pass his resolution - a victory, he said, "for access to American democracy and a return to normal life."
The resolution, which was introduced last month and is co-sponsored by more than half of the Senate Republican Conference, calls for reopening the U.S. Capitol and Senate office buildings to the American people and supports returning to the pre-COVID visitor policies for areas within Senate jurisdiction after nearly two years of closure.
Here are his full remarks:
Madam President, I rose in this chamber two weeks ago to again urge the Senate re-open the U.S. Capitol; re-open Senate office buildings. At that time, Democrats objected to my resolution in support of reopening.
Two weeks later, it has become even more clear that the American public is tired of government mandates, of COVID shutdowns.
Democrats have exploited the pandemic to execute a power grab over American life. A power grab that allows Democrats to dictate whether children can attend schools, whether Americans can keep their jobs and operate their businesses, and how elections are conducted. These big-government lockdowns and mandates have caused irreparable damage that will be felt for generations to come. As we move ahead, we must not lose sight of this lesson.
On the bright side, even the Biden Administration is seeing the poll numbers—and they’re adjusting the science accordingly.
On Friday, the CDC changed its guidance once again. Now, indoor masks are not recommended for most Americans. Masks are no longer required on either side of the Capitol Building. Even Washington, D.C. has opened up and lifted its mask mandate!
Amazingly, all of this happened just in time for the State of the Union. The only science that’s being followed here—is the political science.
But thankfully, America is returning to normal.
Americans everywhere are safely living their lives, going to work and school, visiting stores, attending events, and gathering with their family and their friends. They shouldn’t have to know somebody in order to visit their representative, to take a tour of the Capitol, to get into this building. It’s time for the lockdown on democracy to come to an end.
Today, I’m once again asking my colleagues to rejoin reality and to reopen the Capitol to those whom it belongs—the American people.
So, Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee on Rules and Administration be discharged from further consideration, and the Senate now proceed to Senate Resolution 512. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, that the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
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No objection was made to the motion.
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Senator Hagerty: Madam President, I’m glad that the Senate has agreed to my resolution to re-open the Capitol.
And I urge the House of Representatives to pass the very similar resolution that was introduced in that body, so that all parts of the Capitol Complex are open to the American people.
I also stand ready to work with my colleagues and with the Capitol Police to implement this resolution, so that we can welcome the American people back into their Capitol as soon as possible.
I yield the floor.