WASHINGTON — Texas Sen. John Cornyn announced on Monday he’s tested positive for COVID-19 for the first time since the pandemic began.
“After dodging it for 2+ years I’ve tested positive for COVID-19,” the senior Texas Republican wrote on Twitter. “I’m fully vaccinated and boosted, and doing fine. While quarantining I’ll continue to fight Chuck Schumer and Joe Manchin’s massive tax increase on working families remotely, consistent with CDC guidelines.”
This week, Senate Democrats — including Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., who, up until late last week, was not on board — are teeing up the “Inflation Reduction Act of 2022,” typically referred to as the reconciliation bill, for a floor vote.
Provided the legislation has unanimous support across the party, Democrats plan to pass the bill using the budget process known as reconciliation to avoid a Republican filibuster.
When Manchin abruptly changed course and announced he’d reached an agreement with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on the bill, which aims to address climate change, taxes, health care and inflation, Cornyn accused Manchin of an “Olympic-worthy flip-flop.”
The reconciliation bill, if approved by the Senate Parliamentarian, is something Democrats could push though along party lines even with the 50-50 split in the Senate and Vice President Kamala Harris’ sole tie-breaking vote.
Cornyn’s announcement Monday that he’s tested positive led some on Twitter to speculate that “one less Republican vote … should give Democrats (and VP Harris) some breathing room.”
To that, Cornyn responded: “If [the reconciliation vote] happens, I will be there, consistent with CDC guidelines.”
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