(Photo by Olivier DOULIERY / AFP) (Photo by OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images)
Legislation proposed by House Democrats that would provide billions of dollars toward mobile testing for COVID-19, has in recent weeks led to online conspiracy theories
that the bill authorizes the government to enter the homes of citizens and forcibly remove them if they test positive.
The bipartisan bill known as the COVID-19 Testing, Reaching and Contacting Everyone (TRACE) Act was introduced by Illinois Rep. Bobby Rush on May 1 and has been co-sponsored by over 60 other House members.
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U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL) (C), whose son was a gun violence victim, is comforted by House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) (R) and Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D-MI) (L) after he spoke during a news conference on gun control June 22, 2016 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.
“This bill would allow the testers to come to you through mobile testing units and door-to-door outreach, as is safe and necessary, from members of your own community.
The conspiracy that a bill providing greater access to testing and more contact tracing of the virus would somehow lead to a state-controlled dystopia comes as conservatives, Republican leaders, and President Donald Trump continue to push political talking points that downplay the risk of COVID-19 in an effort to bolster arguments to open back up the economy.
