Mock Emergency House Session Canceled to Avoid Alarming Public

(Bloomberg) -- Officials canceled a mock emergency session of the U.S. House that was to have been held by staff members next week because of concerns that holding it during the coronavirus outbreak might alarm the public, according to a person familiar with the planning.

The House is scheduled to be on break next week, and members weren’t expected to attend the drill in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The session had been planned months ago, before the virus outbreak.

Such mock sessions have been held during legislative breaks once or twice each year. They began after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, as part of routine preparation for disasters or other issues that could force a congressional relocation.

House employees who work on security and floor operations participate in the off-site mock sessions. The site is most often a large auditorium, and the drill can last two or three days.

House officials haven’t discussed canceling any House sessions so far, the person said. The decision to scrap next week’s drill came out of concern that it would be mistakenly interpreted as a response to the coronavirus, according to the person, who asked for anonymity because the planning hasn’t been made public.

To contact the reporter on this story: Billy House in Washington at bhouse5@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Joe Sobczyk at jsobczyk@bloomberg.net, Laurie Asséo

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