Congressman Courtney Plans a Return to DC After COVID-19 Quarantine

Congressman Joe Courtney has been in quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19 and his office said he is expected to return to Washington, DC after being cleared by his doctor.

“I’ve continued to work remotely while recovering at home in Vernon, and I’m glad to report that my doctor has officially cleared me to end quarantine and to resume work in-person,” Courtney said in a statement.

He announced on Nov. 22 that he had tested positive after learning that he was exposed to someone the week before who later tested positive for COVID-19.

Courtney said he began experiencing mild symptoms after his first COVID-19 test came back negative and began quarantining while waiting on a second test, which came back positive.

“My experience with COVID-19 was thankfully a relatively mild one, and my family and I are grateful that was the case. But that has not been the experience of hundreds of thousands of other Americans," Courtney said in a statement.

The Democratic lawmaker's statement called for Congress to pass emergency COVID-19 relief.

The Associated Press reports that Democrats have battled with Republicans and the White House for months over a fresh installment of COVID-19 relief that all sides say they want. But a lack of good faith and an unwillingness to embark on compromises that might lead either side out of their political comfort zones have helped keep another rescue package on ice.

"As we near the end of 2020, while American families are struggling and hospital beds are filling up, it’s clear that folks need more assistance—our health care workers, our local small businesses and restaurants, working families uncertain about the future, and so many others. It is imperative that Congress and the White House, in the final weeks of the lame duck session, find a way to approve emergency COVID relief which is screaming out for action,” Courtney said.

Following is his full statement:

“I’ve continued to work remotely while recovering at home in Vernon, and I’m glad to report that my doctor has officially cleared me to end quarantine and to resume work in-person,” said Rep. Courtney. “My team’s work for eastern Connecticut hasn’t slowed down in the past two weeks, and there’s more coming up fast on the horizon. We’re expecting to finalize negotiations this week on the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act; my bipartisan COVID-19 relief bill to protect educational impact aid funding for military schoolchildren is expected to be signed into law; the House is working to complete a spending package containing several important items for our region; and much more. A clean bill of health from my doctor means that I’ll be able to travel to Washington, DC to resume this work in person, and I’m grateful for our medical professionals and for my family who helped me to stay on the path towards a successful recovery.

“My experience with COVID-19 was thankfully a relatively mild one, and my family and I are grateful that was the case. But that has not been the experience of hundreds of thousands of other Americans. As we near the end of 2020, while American families are struggling and hospital beds are filling up, it’s clear that folks need more assistance—our health care workers, our local small businesses and restaurants, working families uncertain about the future, and so many others. It is imperative that Congress and the White House, in the final weeks of the lame duck session, find a way to approve emergency COVID relief which is screaming out for action.

“I want to thank all the staff at UConn Health Center for their care, my wife Audrey and daughter Elizabeth who did so much to keep my isolation secure, and all who reached out with encouragement and well-wishes since my diagnosis. It meant a great deal to my family and me, and it was another strong reminder of the tight-knit community we have here in eastern Connecticut—a community that I am proud to represent every single day.”