Amid GOP opposition, House Democrats canceled plans to vote Thursday to permit remote voting by lawmakers during the coronavirus pandemic.
Amid deep opposition from Republicans, House Democratic leaders on Wednesday scrapped plans to vote this week on a historic change to congressional rules that would haveDemocrats had hoped to set up a system of proxy voting by which lawmakers could direct another member to cast a vote on his or her behalf, allowing Congress to function without requiring all 435 House members to travel to Washington.
GOP lawmakers argued that allowing members to vote without being in Washington would undermine the American system of representative government and marked a change in precedent that they might never be able to undo. If lawmakers were able to make it to Washington to vote during the Civil War or the 1918 flu pandemic, lawmakers can travel on nearly empty planes to cast their votes today, they said.
Under the Democratic proposal, which would have been temporary, members would have been allowed to give another member of Congress their proxy to vote on their behalf and in accordance with their instructions. The proxy would have to be arranged ahead of time in writing — likely via email — and the member not in Washington would have to spell out his or her position in advance.
“Now we have a situation where everyone is told to shelter in place and not to be with 10 other people at a time,” she said. How can American voters be told one thing “and we’re not going to do the same thing. That’s not setting a very good example.” McCarthy suggested that reopening Congress may involve calling back only the lawmakers who serve on certain committees until a major vote is planned that would require all members.
Republicans said the process would further consolidate power in congressional leadership. For years, members of both parties have grown frustrated with bills that are written by congressional leaders and only shown to rank-and-file members shortly before the vote is called.
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