DC officials offer to help with coronavirus tests for Congress

Washington, D.C.’s mayor is offering to provide coronavirus testing for lawmakers as the House is expected to return to the Capitol in the coming days.

The Washington Post reported Monday that Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) said the city has offered resources including testing at its public health lab to House and Senate leaders. 

Trump administration officials had previously offered Congress access to rapid testing used by the White House to screen visiting officials, an offer lawmakers declined.

“Congress is grateful for the Administration’s generous offer to deploy rapid COVID-19 testing capabilities to Capitol Hill, but we respectfully decline the offer at this time,” congressional leaders said in a rare bipartisan joint statement earlier this month. “Our country’s testing capacities are continuing to scale up nationwide and Congress wants to keep directing resources to the front-line facilities where they can do the most good the most quickly.”

The Senate returned on May 4, while members of the House are set to come back to D.C. on Friday.