COVID AND CONGRESS
By Lisa Desjardins, @LisaDNews
Correspondent

Here in the COVID part of the 21st century, the battle between humankind and nature is self-evident.

But the sheer number of our leaders who have been infected is easily missed in the pandemic haze. Which is why we‘ve been keeping track.  

In the past week, we have seen a boom in COVID positive cases announced by members of Congress. Five members disclosed they have tested positive, making it the biggest surge in lawmaker cases since the January 6 riot and one of the biggest surges on Capitol Hill since COVID arrived.

Here is a look at the 83 members of Congress who have announced that they had COVID at some point.  

Publicly-known Positive Covid Cases - 116th and 117th Congress
(Tweet me if I’ve missed anything here. @LisaDNews. Appreciate any folos! )

HOUSE

1. Ben McAdams, D-Utah (March 18, 2020)
2. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla. (March 18, 2020)
3. Seth Moulton, D-Mass. (March 25, 2020, presumed w/ symptoms)
4. Joe Cunningham, D-S.C. (March 27, 2020)
5. Mike Kelly, R-Pa. (March 27, 2020)
6. Nydia Velaquez, D-N.Y. (Late March, 2020, presumed)
7. Trey Hollingsworth, R-Ind. (Symptoms late March, 2020, announced positive for antibodies in July.)
8. Neal Dunn, R-Fla. (Early April, 2020)
9. Tom Rice, R-S.C. (June, 2020)
10. Morgan Griffith, R-Va. (July, 2020)
11. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas (July 29, 2020)
12. Thomas Massie, R-Ky. (Tested end of July, 2020, positive antibody test)
13. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz. (Aug. 1, 2020)
14. Rodney Davis, R-Ill.  (Aug. 5, 2020)
15. Dan Meuser, R-Pa. (Aug. 22, 2020)
16. Jennifer Gonzales-Colon, R-P.R. (Aug. 24, 2020)  
17. Jahana Hayes, D-Conn. (Sept. 20, 2020)
18. Salud Carbajal, D-Calif. (Oct. 5, 2020)
19. Mike Bost, R-Ill. (Oct. 11, 2020)
20. Bill Huizenga, R-Mich. (Oct. 15, 2020)
21. Drew Ferguson, R-Ga. (Oct. 30, 2020)
22. Michael Waltz, R-Fla. (Nov. 7, 2020)
23. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. (Nov. 7, 2020 tested positive for antibodies. Unsure when he had COVID.) 
24. Don Young, R-Ark. (Nov. 12, 2020)
25. Tim Walberg, R-Mich. (Nov. 15, 2020)
26. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill. (Nov. 16, 2020)
27. Ed Perlmutter, D-Colo. (Nov. 17, 2020)
28. Doug Lamborn, R-Colo. (Nov 18, 2020)
29. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash. (Nov 18, 2020)
30. Brian Steil, R-Wis. (Nov 22, 2020)
31. Joe Courtney, D-Conn. (Nov 22, 2020)
32. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C. (Week of Nov. 23, 2020)
33. Rick Allen, R-Ga. (Nov 24, 2020)
34. Susie Lee, D-Nev. (Nov. 25, 2020)
35. Austin Scott, R-Ga. (Nov. 30, 2020)
36. Ken Calvert, R-Calif. (Late Nov. Announced Dec. 15)
37. Ted Budd, R-N.C. (Dec. 1, 2020)
38. Robert Aderholt, R-Ala. (Dec. 4)
39. Devin Nunes, R-Calif. (Antibodies, announced test Dec. 11, 2020)
40. Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga. (Dec. 15, 2020)
41. Joe Wilson, R-S.C.  (Dec. 16, 2020)
42. Mike Rogers, R-Ala.  (Dec. 17, 2020)
43. Cedric Richmond, D-La. (Dec. 17, 2020)
44. Rick Larsen, D-Wash. (Dec. 23, 2020)
45. Maria Salazar, R-Fla. (Dec. 23, 2020. Was member-elect then, but was quarantined still when Congress began)
46. Gwen Moore, D-Wis. (Dec. 28, 2020)
47. David Valadao, R-Calif. (Dec. 31, 2020)
48. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. (Antibodies. Test in December 2020. Story first reported March 2021.) 
49. Kay Granger, R-Texas (Jan. 3, 2021, test)
50. Kevin Brady, R-Texas (Jan. 3, 2021, announced)
51. Michelle Steel, R-Calif. (Jan. 6, 2021, announced.)
52. Jake LaTurner, R-Kan. (Jan. 6, 2021,  test) 
53. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla. (Jan. 6, 2021 test) 
54. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn. (Jan. 10, 2021) 
55. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash. (Jan 11, 2021)
56. Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-N.J. (Jan. 12, 2021) 
57. Brad Schneider, D-Ill. (Jan. 12, 2021) 
58. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y. (Jan. 13, 2021) 
59. Lou Correa, D-Calif. (Jan. 15, 2021) 
60. Raul Ruiz, D-Calif. (Jan. 19, 2021) 
61. Ron Wright, R-Texas (Jan. 21, 2021) Died. Feb. 7.
62. Lori Trahan, D-Mass. (Jan. 28, 2021) 
63. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass. (Jan. 30, 2021) Note: he had received both doses of vaccine by Jan. 20.  
64. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla. (July 19, 2021) *Fully vaccinated.
65. Steve Scalise, R-La. Antibodies. (Revealed antibodies positive July 20, 2020, unclear when was tested or contagious.) 
66. Ralph Norman, R-S.C. (Aug. 5, 2021) *Fully vaccinated.
67. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas (Aug. 6, 2021) *Fully vaccinated.
68. Barry Moore, R-Ala. (Aug. 20, 2021) Note: vaccination status unknown.
69. Troy Nehls, R-Texas (Aug. 22, 2021) *Fully vaccinated.

SENATE

1. Rand Paul, R-Ky. (March 22, 2020)
2. Tim Kaine, D-Va. (April, 2020, antibodies test)
3. Bob Casey, D-Pa. (May, 2020, antibodies test)
4. Bill Cassidy, R-La. (Aug. 20, 2020)
5. Mike Lee, R-Utah (Oct. 2, 2020) 
6. Thom Tillis, R-N.C. (Oct. 2, 2020) 
7. Ron Johnson, R-Wis. (Oct. 3, 2020) 
8. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa (Nov 17, 2020) Was president pro tem at this point, highest-ranking Congressional official to test positive.
9. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga. (Nov 20, 2020)
10. Rick Scott, R-Fla. (Nov 20, 2020)
11. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. (Aug. 2, 2021) *Fully vaccinated
12. Roger Wicker, R-Miss. (Aug. 19, 2021) *Fully vaccinated
13. Angus King, I-Maine (Aug. 19, 2021)  *Fully vaccinated
14. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo. (Aug. 19, 2021) *Fully vaccinated

Were in vaccine trials

1. Steve Daines, R-Mont. (enrolled in Pfizer trial, positive for antibodies)
2. Rob Portman, R-Ohio (enrolled in Johnson & Johnson trial)

117th Congress-elect

1. Ashley Hinson, RElect-Iowa (Nov. 12, 2020)
2. Luke Letlow, RElect-La. (Dec. 18, 2020 announced. Died Dec. 29.)

Here Are Some Of The Afghans Scrambling To Get Exit Visas After The US Withdrawal Aug 20. The chaos in Afghanistan is leading to a frantic effort by those trying to exit. . Why it matters: This is a life-and-death effort in real time which could determine the long-term future of tens of thousands of people as well as how America is seen in the world.  It also sheds light on the flaws in the Special Immigrant Visa program, a cumbersome process that lacks transparency and is not equipped to efficiently handle the influx of cases.  -- Buzzfeed 

GOP Senate candidates take page from Trump playbook as they fight for populist title Aug. 22  Republican candidates in Ohio seeking to replace retiring centrist Senator Rob Portman are vying for President Trump’s endorsement and largely pitching to the conservative base. Why it matters:  The upcoming Senate primary could foretell where the Republican party is heading in a midterm year as well as how difficult or easy it will be for Democrats to hold onto the U.S. Senate.t. -- The Columbus Dispatch 

Veterans are prized recruits as congressional candidates Aug. 22. Both parties are aiming to recruit veterans to run for Congress as they try to secure the House majority in next year’s midterm elections. Why it matters: Seen as favorable candidates in swing districts and among moderate voters, the current withdrawal from the war in Afghanistan will test this group’s acumen as they’re thrust back into the center of American politics. -- Associated Press 

On this day in 1814, British troops captured and burned the north wing of the U.S. Capitol, an attack largely forgotten by most Americans until the siege of the same building on January 6, 2021. But the damage more than a century ago was significant and expensive enough to warrant intervention by this founding father, who sold his personal library to Congress to aid in covering the damage. The sale totaled almost $24,000.

Our question: Can you name the seller?

Send your answers to [email protected] or tweet using #PoliticsTrivia. The first correct answers will earn a shout-out next week.

Last week, we asked: Can you name the one ‘“no”’ vote to authorize war in Afghanistan 20 years ago?

The answer: Rep. Barbara Lee

The California Democrat received thousands of letters of approval and disapproval of her decision. They are now housed at Lee’s alma matter, Mills College in Oakland, California.