West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin and Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski have both tested positive for COVID-19.
Sen. Manchin said that he is experiencing mild symptoms and is fully vaccinated and boosted.
“This morning I tested positive for COVID-19. I am fully vaccinated and boosted and am experiencing mild symptoms,” Manchin wrote in a tweet. “I will isolate and follow CDC guidelines as I continue to work remotely to serve West Virginians.” This morning I tested positive for COVID-19. I am fully vaccinated and boosted and am experiencing mild symptoms. I will isolate and follow CDC guidelines as I continue to work remotely to serve West Virginians.
— Senator Joe Manchin (@Sen_JoeManchin) July 25, 2022
Just hours after Manchin's announcement, Murkowski tweeted, "After experiencing flu like symptoms I recently tested positive for COVID-19. I will be following guidance and advice from doctors and will be quarantining at home in Alaska while continuing my work remotely." After experiencing flu like symptoms I recently tested positive for COVID-19. I will be following guidance and advice from doctors and will be quarantining at home in Alaska while continuing my work remotely.
— Sen. Lisa Murkowski (@lisamurkowski) July 25, 2022
The announcements come days after President Joe Biden also announced a positive COVID diagnosis. On Monday, his doctor announced that the president's symptoms have "almost completely resolved."
Manchin has faced protests by his own party after he refused to vote for the “Build Back Better” spending package, killing the effort. He cited inflation, the federal debt, and omicron as some of the reasons for his opposition. He and fellow moderate Senator Kyrsten Sinema also thwarted efforts by the president and Senate to remove the filibuster to push through changes to voting rights.
In May, Senate Republicans were joined by Sen. Manchin in opposing an effort to codify abortion rights in the United States following the leaked draft of the Supreme Court ruling that would ultimately overturn Roe v. Wade.
"Make no mistake, it is not Roe v. Wade codification," he said of the Women's Health Protection Act. "It is an expansion; it wipes 500 state laws off the books, it expands abortion, and with that, that's not where we are today. We should not be dividing this country further than we're already divided, and it's really the politics of Congress that's dividing the country."
Murkowski has been outspoken about her support of legislation protecting same-sex marriage, which needs ten Republicans and every Democrat to pass and avoid a filibuster. The two senators can work remotely with COVID, but floor votes in the senate can only take place in person.
