Fight Over Proxy Voting for New Parents Upends House GOP

A resolution that would allow new parents in Congress to vote by proxy after their baby’s birth is exposing a widening rift in the Republican party. 

It started when a bipartisan group of members, Representatives Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), and Mike Lawler (R-NY), introduced a resolution that would allow new parents to vote by proxy (remotely) for 12 weeks after their baby’s birth. 

The move is opposed by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Republican leadership, who have questioned the constitutionality of proxy voting.

Despite their opposition, Representative Luna got 218 signatures, including most Democrats and 11 other Republicans, to sign a discharge petition to send the resolution to the floor despite opposition from Republican leadership.

“Not Going to be Bought” 

Since then, the Speaker and his allies are looking for ways to stop the resolution from reaching the floor.

However, Representative Luna, who had a son in 2023, said such overtures are a non-starter.  

“I’m not going to be bought,” said Representative Luna. “I will tell you that I’ve now been reached out to multiple times offering me positions on different committees, and I don’t want it, because this is bigger than me. It’s about changing the institution for the better.”

Representative Luna also resigned from the House Freedom Caucus, telling CNN that some members of the group are holding Speaker Johnson “hostage” over the matter. 

Proxy voting was used during the Covid-19 pandemic but was eliminated when Republicans took control of Congress in 2023. 

Modernizing Congress

Other supporters say the move is necessary to modernize Congress and attract the best and brightest. 

“Enabling new parents to vote by proxy while they spend time recovering and taking care of their newborn baby is an important step in modernizing Congress and addressing one of the significant barriers young parents face to serving,” said Representative Pettersen, who gave birth to her second child in January. 

Still the Speaker is unlikely to give in. 

“Look, I’m a father. I’m pro-family,” said Speaker Johnson, arguing that proxy voting could lead to a day when members are “all voting remotely, by AI or something.”

Whether it has the votes to pass is up in the air. Some Republicans who initially signed the discharge petition are now having second thoughts, including Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL). 

“I’m not the biggest fan of the fathers exception. And I’m a dad, I’ve had three kids. Been through it,” said Rep. Donalds. “But look, if it helps the women in our process, so be it.”