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WPLG - LOCAL 10

Florida lawmakers call on DeSantis to enforce statewide shelter-in-place order
By Amanda Batchelor

Democratic U.S. lawmakers from Florida are calling on Gov. Ron DeSantis to issue a statewide shelter-in-place order.

U.S. Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23), Ted Deutch (FL-22) and Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (FL-26), attended a video conference call Thursday and discussed the ongoing state and federal responses to the coronavirus pandemic.

Deutch said he and his wife are currently quarantined at their home in South Florida because his son recently returned from Spain with symptoms of illness, including lost taste and smell.

The three relatives have been in their home, but Deutch said he and his wife are isolated from their son.

“Look, there are lots of us in this situation,” he said. “Fortunately, my wife and I feel good and our son otherwise feels good. There are so many people who are really sick and those are the folks we are really worried about, and that we are all working so hard to help through the legislation we are passing.”

The lawmakers are urging the governor to issue the shelter-in-place order to protect those most vulnerable to the virus and for the support and protection of the health care system.

The lawmakers said they would not be returning to Washington D.C. at this time and will do a voice vote Friday in support of the stimulus bill.

“We are communicating with each other,” Wasserman Schultz said. “We have had literally five conference calls yesterday -- which I know I was on all of those -- giving us brand new information about what is in the legislation so we can understand and know what we are voting on, and answer constituent questions.”

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