at least nonzero in the immediate area within the past several years--and yes, in this area of DC and in Northern VA, there is a risk of rabies and foxes are certainly highly susceptible. It is not a given, however, that even a wild animal susceptible to rabies who bites after human provocation would automatically be assumed to be a high-risk encounter and it is possible the animal in some jurisdictions would be observed under quarantine (albeit the cost-benefit of euthanizing and testing might win out). This is a known group of foxes so my guess is they will go back to collect them all. whether they will sacrifice one or more or merely observe will be up to public health.
While an individual could elect to receive PEP regardless, they would be paying for it in most cases (with insurance refusing) if there was not a public health-established risk. This frequently happens in areas with low rabies risk or from an encounter with an animal (e.g., rabbit, squirrel, rodent, gopher, mole) at very very low risk for rabies. Obviously, the individual being a congressperson with the best insurance available to a human being in this country would not have to worry about it. But we ordinary mortals would. I have had to deal with fellow ER docs refusing to call public health/animal control about his kind of thing and this is the very situation that develops when you don't. Not to mention a potentially rabid animal being allowed to present a risk to others.
I encourage you to read the current guidelines that CDC reviews every year with ACIP and which every health department in the country uses to prevent and respond to rabies risks. The most current published summary of the overall recommendations follows. A revision of PEP guidlelines follows.
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/rr/rr5703.pdf
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/rr/rr5902.pdf
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