California Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters revealed on Tuesday that she has tested positive for COVID-19 after attending the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles.
The positive test marked the congresswoman’s second time testing positive for the coronavirus since April.
“Yesterday, after learning of a potential exposure at the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, I was notified that I tested positive for COVID. I am currently isolating and have no symptoms,” Waters, who also serves as the chair of the House Committee on Financial Services, shared in a statement.
“I am grateful to be fully vaccinated and to have received two booster shots. If you haven’t received the vaccine and/or booster, I encourage you to do so. I am feeling fine and resting at home,” she added.
Waters (D-CA): “I am grateful to be fully vaccinated and to have received two booster shots. If you haven’t received the vaccine and/or booster, I encourage you to do so. I am feeling fine and resting at home.”
— Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) June 14, 2022
Waters had recently appeared at a meeting during the Summit of the Americas with several Democrats in attendance. They included Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-CA), Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
When Waters previously tested positive for COVID-19 on April 27, the congresswoman reportedly experienced no symptoms and was also fully vaccinated and had received two booster shots.
Following her previous positive diagnosis, Waters released a similar statement.
“Today, I have received a positive test result for COVID. I am currently isolating and have no symptoms. I am following all protocols as recommended by the Office of the Attending Physician and CDC guidance. I am grateful to be fully vaccinated and to have received two booster shots. Thankfully, I am feeling fine and recommend everyone to get vaccinated if you have not done so already,” she said.
Waters also recently made headlines for requesting data on chattel slavery from top U.S. banks and insurance companies to hold the institutions accountable for any involvement.
“We are writing to inquire about what, if any, research and disclosure your bank has conducted with regard to its, or any of its predecessor institutions’, involvement in the financing of chattel slavery in the United States,” Waters and Texas Democratic Rep. Al Green wrote last week to the nation’s top 10 U.S. banks, top five U.S. property and casualty insurance companies, and top five U.S. life insurance companies.
“In recent years, multiple financial institutions have been compelled to conduct such research and disclose information in compliance with certain state and local laws. Such compelled disclosures revealed clear historical connections to slavery, in the form of lending capital for the purchase of slaves, accepting enslaved people as collateral for loans, taking ownership of enslaved people in events of default on said loans, providing insurance policies to holders of enslaved persons, and executing payment on those policies in events of injury, fatality, and even liberation of those enslaved persons,” they added.