On Tuesday, President Biden slammed Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) for a remark Roy made in December responding to Biden’s December 9 statement that as president, he would require masks in federal buildings starting on “day one.” Roy had replied on Twitter in December, “On day one I will tell you to kiss my a**. #StandUpFor America.”
On day one I will tell you to kiss my ass. #StandUpForAmerica https://t.co/1Yqygxcu69
— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) December 9, 2020
Bide said on Tuesday, “He used a very colorful term to say, ‘Wearing a mask, tell them to kiss my ear, I’m not going to wear a mask.’ Well, guess what? Not very American. The fact is, you want to be patriotic, you’re going to protect people,” as Bloomberg reported.
Apprised of Biden’s remarks, Roy told RealClearPolitics, “It’s not my most Christian statement but it’s very American.”
Rep. Chip Roy responds to @POTUS, tells me "it’s not my most Christian statement but it’s very American." https://t.co/pSMamOPG8l
— Philip Melanchthon Wegmann (@PhilipWegmann) January 26, 2021
On December 9, Biden had stated, “My first 100 days is going to require, I’m going to ask for a masking plan, everyone for the first 100 days of my administration to wear a mask. It will start with my signing an order on day one to require masks where I can under the law, like federal buildings, interstate travel on planes, trains and buses. I’ll also be working with the governors and mayors to do the same in their states and their cities. We’re going to require masks wherever possible. But this goes beyond government action.”
“And so as the new president, I’m going to speak directly to the American people and say what I’m saying now, we need your help,” Biden continued. “Wear masks for just 100 days. It’s the easiest thing you can do to reduce COVID cases, hospitalizations, and death. Help yourself, your family and your community. Whatever your politics or point of view, mask up for 100 days once we take office. 100 days to make a difference. It’s not a political statement. It’s a patriotic act. It won’t be the end of our efforts, but it’s a necessary and easy beginning, an easy start.”
That prompted Roy’s December 9 tweet.
Roy had argued against severe lockdowns last May, saying, “The goal here is for the least amount of human harm, right? And so the virus is one piece of a much larger puzzle. So should we reopen our society? I believe yes. I think it is important for us to engage as human beings together, to worship together, to work together. Can we do it in a way that protects the most vulnerable? … It’s important that we do that, and we can do that.”
“We need immune systems that are strong,” he added. “We need immunity systems that can fight this. We need herd immunity. So we have to work through this together to get reengaged so we can build that up.”
“Roy said he is encouraged that most Texans he encounters in his daily life are following social distancing guidelines, including wearing masks,” The Texas Tribune reported, adding, “While recently voting at the U.S. Capitol, Roy said he frequently wore his mask and opted to take the staircases rather than the small elevators around the building. But when delivering a floor speech, he removed his mask — like many other lawmakers.”
Roy concluded, “It’s important for the American people to be able to see your face. So, when I spoke on the floor of the House, when I was down there, I didn’t wear a mask.”