Rules For Thee: Biden to Break Pelosi’s Mask Mandate for Members Giving Floor Speeches Getty Alana Goodman • April 28, 2021 2:45 pm SHARE President Joe Biden is set to defy Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s congressional mask mandate on Wednesday night as he plans to go maskless during his speech to a joint session of Congress on the House floor, according to the White House. Pelosi (D., Calif.) enacted a rule late last year requiring members to wear masks at all times on the House floor, even while speaking to the chamber. While Biden is not bound by the rule because he is not a House member, his decision could be perceived as a direct snub against the policies instituted by his own party.