It’s Time for the Committee to Get Back to Work In-Person

Comer & Oversight Republicans call on Maloney to resume in-person business

WASHINGTON—Today, House Committee on Oversight and Reform Ranking Member James Comer (R-Ky.) and Oversight Republicans called on Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) to resume in-person committee business immediately.

Even though the House of Representatives has been convening in-person without masks or social distancing and mask mandates as social distancing requirements have been lifted across the country, Chairwoman Maloney scheduled a Zoom hearing for Thursday, June 24, 2021, while the House is in session.

“Americans across the country are going back to the workplace but Oversight Democrats continue to hide behind computer screens,” said Ranking Member Comer. “Virtual Congress has led to untold tech problems and delays and has not been conducive to the quality of work Americans expect and deserve from their representatives. It’s past time for Chairwoman Maloney to end the political theatrics that have no basis in science. We must lead by example and resume committee business in-person to best serve the American people.”

Below is the full text of the letter.

June 23, 2021

The Honorable Carolyn B. Maloney
Chairwoman
Committee on Oversight and Reform
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Madam Chairwoman:

It is time for the Committee on Oversight and Reform to get back to work in-person.  We write to you yet again to request that the Committee resume in-person business immediately.  Even though Congress is in session this week, a Committee hearing on Thursday, June 24 will be fully remote and the Committee room unavailable to any members.  This is unacceptable. 

The House of Representatives has been convening in-person without masks or social distancing—including on the House floor.  Mask mandates and social distancing requirements have been lifted across the country, including in Washington, D.C.  There is absolutely no reason at this point to justify requiring a fully remote hearing while Congress is in session.

Our hearings should be conducted in-person going forward, or at the very least you should offer a hybrid option to members who wish to participate in-person.  As America reopens, it is past time that our Committee resumes in-person activities as well.  At the very least, members should be permitted to participate in Thursday’s hearing in the hearing room where the Committee conducts its business.

Madam Chairwoman, now is the time to dispense with the political theatre and follow the science to reopen to in-person Committee business. 

Sincerely,

James Comer, Ranking Member, Committee on Oversight and Reform

Jody Hice, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Government Operations

Glenn S. Grothman, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on National Security

Michael Cloud, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy

Ralph Norman, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Environment              

Pete Sessions, Ranking Member Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

Jim Jordan

Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S.

Virginia A. Foxx

Bob Gibbs      

Clay Higgins

Fred Keller

Andy Biggs

Andrew S. Clyde

Nancy Mace

Scott Franklin

Jake LaTurner

Pat Fallon

Yvette Herrell 

Byron Donalds