9 Home Republicans joined all 213 Democrats Tuesday to maintain alive a invoice that would permit lawmakers who’re new dad and mom to solid proxy votes for 3 months after their little one’s delivery.
The GOP revolt, spearheaded by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), was a blow to Home Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who swiftly moved to cancel scheduled votes for the rest of the week.
Final month, Luna (R-Fla.) secured the required 218 signatures to a parliamentary device generally known as a discharge petition, forcing a vote on her invoice to permit proxy voting for brand spanking new mothers, pregnant ladies who’re unable to journey safely or have a severe medical situation, and lawmakers whose spouses are pregnant or giving delivery.
A bid to quash the petition and prohibit additional proxy voting proposals — tucked into an in any other case routine guidelines package deal — failed 222-206 Tuesday, giving the Home two legislative days to think about Luna’s measure with a remaining vote anticipated subsequent week.
“By no means wager towards a Luna,” the Florida lawmaker, who gave delivery to her first little one in August 2023, cheered after the vote.
Tuesday’s vote got here in the future after Luna left the hard-right Home Freedom Caucus, saying that they had “blackmailed” Johnson into making an attempt to kill her petition.
Democrats rallied round Luna’s measure, with Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.) addressing the Home along with her crying two-month-old, Samuel, in her arms.
“After I was pregnant, I couldn’t fly in the direction of the top of my due date as a result of it was unsafe for Sam and also you’re unable to board a aircraft,” Pettersen mentioned. “And I used to be unable to have my vote represented right here and my constituents’ vote represented.
“It’s unfathomable that in 2025, now we have not modernized Congress.”
“Given the prospect to really help households, they flip their backs,” added Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), directing his feedback to Republicans. “A majority of the chamber is upending what the bulk on this chamber desires.”
Luna’s invoice would permit Home members to designate a colleague to solid votes for them once they can’t by bodily current within the chamber with the intention to care for his or her newborns.
Proxy voting was allowed by then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Republicans barred proxy voting — which can also be prohibited within the US Senate — after regaining management of the Home in January 2023, with then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Johnson and others arguing the follow is unconstitutional.
The speaker, a father of 5, has mentioned that he sympathizes with the struggles of recent dad and mom, however has cited the Structure’s Quorum Clause — Article I, Part 5, Clause 1 — which states {that a} majority of every home must be current with the intention to conduct enterprise.
“I consider it violates greater than two centuries of custom and establishment,” Johnson mentioned late final month. “And I feel that it opens a Pandora’s field, the place in the end, perhaps nobody is right here.”
“I consider we must always present as much as work,” argued Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), a father of two. “I consider, like each different single American who has to bodily get of their automobile, go get in site visitors, go present as much as their job, go present as much as the job web site, go work all day within the solar.”
“For the entire individuals who have served on this physique, it will be significant that we meet in Congress,” he added. “What’s at stake right here is the way forward for the establishment.”
Republicans who joined Luna in the course of the rule vote Tuesday included Tim Burchett of Tennessee, Mike Lawler and Nick LaLota of New York, Will Kiley of California, Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, Max Miller of Ohio, Greg Steube of Florida and Ryan Mackenzie of Pennsylvania.
In a press release following the vote, Miller mentioned he “couldn’t in good conscience vote for an unprecedented rule that may pull the rug out from underneath Consultant Luna’s discharge petition that acquired the required signatures truthful and sq..
“I had a child lady simply over a yr in the past and within the first weeks of her life there have been some issues,” Miller added. “I can’t think about a mom, who has spent [nine] months going via the wringer, being informed you could’t be together with your toddler solely since you are one in every of 435 individuals. We’re the pro-life, pro-family get together. As a brand new dad, I simply couldn’t help it.”
Supply hyperlink
