ClydeR
11-14-2022, 03:50 PM
Kevin McCarthy and Steve Scalise have vowed to end proxy voting in the House. Will they follow through?
Because of Covid, the House began allowing members to vote by proxy. Democrats had a small majority in the House, and somebody was always absent. It was only because of proxy voting that Democrats won votes in the House.
McCarthy and Scalise probably believed that historical averages would prevail in 2022, giving Republicans a more substantial majority than now seems likely. Republicans are likely to have a smaller majority than Democrats had.
From March 2022..
In 2020, Democrats fundamentally changed the rules of the House of Representatives to no longer require members to meet in-person for committee business or votes on the Floor.
Predictably, this has led to a series of blunders where Members of Congress put their own personal convenience ahead of the job of representing their constituents. Whether it’s a member voting in markup while on a boat or members choosing to skip the Floor for a long weekend, remote proceedings are eroding the public’s trust in the People’s House.
That’s why at this morning’s House Rules Committee hearing, Leader McCarthy submitted the following testimony on the need to end proxy voting and remote proceedings in order to return the House to fully in-person business.
More... (https://www.republicanleader.gov/mccarthy-proxy-voting-is-wrong-for-the-house/)
“Whatever the initial intent of proxy voting, enough is enough. It’s time for this body to lead by example, show up to work as Congress has done since its inception, and end proxy voting once and for all.
From September 2022..
Republican leaders have also made clear they plan to run the House differently than Democrats have, notably by promising to end the practice of remote proxy voting that was approved as an emergency measure in response to the pandemic.
"We've got many votes, big votes, where over 100 members of Congress weren't even here in person voting, that will change under a House Republican majority," GOP Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., told reporters this week. Scalise intends to run for majority leader, a position that oversees the floor schedule and operations, if Republicans win control.
More... (https://www.npr.org/2022/09/22/1124486339/house-gop-unveils-its-legislative-roadmap-if-they-win-back-the-house-in-november)
Because of Covid, the House began allowing members to vote by proxy. Democrats had a small majority in the House, and somebody was always absent. It was only because of proxy voting that Democrats won votes in the House.
McCarthy and Scalise probably believed that historical averages would prevail in 2022, giving Republicans a more substantial majority than now seems likely. Republicans are likely to have a smaller majority than Democrats had.
From March 2022..
In 2020, Democrats fundamentally changed the rules of the House of Representatives to no longer require members to meet in-person for committee business or votes on the Floor.
Predictably, this has led to a series of blunders where Members of Congress put their own personal convenience ahead of the job of representing their constituents. Whether it’s a member voting in markup while on a boat or members choosing to skip the Floor for a long weekend, remote proceedings are eroding the public’s trust in the People’s House.
That’s why at this morning’s House Rules Committee hearing, Leader McCarthy submitted the following testimony on the need to end proxy voting and remote proceedings in order to return the House to fully in-person business.
More... (https://www.republicanleader.gov/mccarthy-proxy-voting-is-wrong-for-the-house/)
“Whatever the initial intent of proxy voting, enough is enough. It’s time for this body to lead by example, show up to work as Congress has done since its inception, and end proxy voting once and for all.
From September 2022..
Republican leaders have also made clear they plan to run the House differently than Democrats have, notably by promising to end the practice of remote proxy voting that was approved as an emergency measure in response to the pandemic.
"We've got many votes, big votes, where over 100 members of Congress weren't even here in person voting, that will change under a House Republican majority," GOP Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., told reporters this week. Scalise intends to run for majority leader, a position that oversees the floor schedule and operations, if Republicans win control.
More... (https://www.npr.org/2022/09/22/1124486339/house-gop-unveils-its-legislative-roadmap-if-they-win-back-the-house-in-november)