Pocan Announces RALLIES Act
The RALLIES Act would prevent the enforcement of COVID-19 liability waivers for indoor gatherings of 1,000 or more people.
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02), today announced the Refusal to Accept Losses or Liability In Every Situation Act (RALLIES) Act, which would prevent liability waivers from being enforced for indoor gatherings of 1,000 or more people if the 14-day COVID case trend is increasing in the locality the gathering is being held. President Trump is planning to host his first large rally since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic this Saturday at an indoor arena in Tulsa, OK. The Trump campaign is requiring all attendees to sign liability waivers due to the high likelihood of contracting COVID-19.
"Since the beginning of this pandemic, the President has refused to take ownership over his administration's disastrous response to COVID-19," said Congressman Pocan. "As we see cases continue to rise—including over 300 new cases in Tulsa County over the last week alone—this President wants the right to endanger thousands of people at an indoor stadium with impunity. We refuse to let a candidate for re-election threaten the lives of the people of this country for political gain. With over 2 million COVID cases in the United States and over 116,000 deaths, I would hope this president's actions would prioritize recovery, not a resurgence in cases nationwide."
Congressman Pocan previously wrote to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Robert Redfield last week, asking whether he believes states and localities should permit large indoor public events like the rally, attended by thousands of participants not practicing recommended social distancing or face-covering practices—particularly if organizers require liability waivers to attend due to the likelihood of contracting COVID-19. In the absence of a response from the CDC, the Congressman introduced the RALLIES Act to prevent the president from evading accountability for his dangerous actions.
See the text of the RALLIES Act here.