House GOP leader says State of the Union attendance could be capped:

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthyKevin McCarthyTrump says he wanted Pence to overturn election, eyes effort to reform law The promise of the House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress Rhode Island state treasurer running for Langevin’s seat in US House MORE (R-Calif.) told Republican leadership members that he had been informed by House Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiOvernight Health Care — Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine approved Overnight Defense & National Security — US, Russian officials face off at meeting Blinken, Austin to brief House members on Russia-Ukraine conflict MORE (D-Calif.) that they were instituting a 25-House member cap for the State of the Union address, Axios reported, citing two sources.

McCarthy said on Tuesday that he was informed of the 25-House member cap by Pelosi, which reportedly upset Republican leaders, including the House GOP leader himself, Axios reported.

A spokesperson for Pelosi said that McCarthy’s figures were incorrect and that no final decisions have been made. The spokesperson added that her office “will work closely with the Office of the Attending Physician to accommodate as many Member requests as safely as possible.”

The report comes one month before President BidenJoe BidenOvernight Health Care — Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine approved Overnight Defense & National Security — US, Russian officials face off at meeting Biden to relaunch ‘cancer moonshot’ effort at Wednesday event MORE will deliver his first State of the Union address. 

The United States is still reporting at least 100,000 new daily infections, often well over that figure. Over 676,000 cases were reported on Monday while over 120,000 were reported on Sunday, per data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

It has also meant that a handful of lawmakers have tested positive for COVID-19 in recent weeks, including Sen. Mitt RomneyWillard (Mitt) Mitt RomneyJuan Williams: Biden is right — GOP is on wrong side of history Romney tests positive for coronavirus Build Back Smaller: What’s the best path forward for Democrats? MORE (R-Utah) on Friday and Sen. John HoevenJohn Henry HoevenThese Senate seats are up for election in 2022 Senate Republicans call on Biden to lift vaccine mandate for truckers crossing Canadian border Equilibrium/Sustainability — Presented by Southern Company — Native solar startups see business as activism MORE (R-N.D.) on Monday. 

Former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Tom Frieden said in an op-ed published on Tuesday by CNN that while other serious COVID-19 variants could emerge, he felt “cautiously optimistic” about the rest of the pandemic.

“Although it’s possible that deadly new coronavirus variants could emerge, I’m more optimistic today than at any point since the Covid-19 pandemic began,” he wrote.

“Despite growing pandemic fatigue and rough weeks ahead as the Omicron tsunami recedes, we’re better defended against Covid than ever….