Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives have rejected a proposal to allow new parents to vote remotely. Colorado Democrat Brittany Pettersen, who recently gave birth, has been pushing for this change in House rules. A compromise was reached between the GOP sponsor of the measure and House Speaker Mike Johnson, which involved reviving a dormant procedure called “vote pairing.”
Under this procedure, absent members’ votes are canceled out when another lawmaker votes “present” instead. Although Pettersen thanked Florida Republican Anna Paulina Luna for her efforts, she believes that this solution does not address the real barriers new parents face when it comes to voting.
Pettersen argues that all lawmakers should have a seat at the table, especially since she is one of only 13 House members to give birth while in office. She believes that House rules should be updated to reflect the challenges faced by working families, such as finding affordable child care and balancing work responsibilities with family responsibilities.
House Speaker Johnson has been vocal in his opposition to proxy voting, calling it unconstitutional. Despite the compromise that was reached, Pettersen and Luna are determined to continue fighting for new parents to have the ability to vote remotely in the future.
Pettersen criticized Speaker Johnson for turning his back on parents and families, stating that excluding those who understand the challenges faced by working families will make it difficult for Congress to effectively address these issues. The debate over remote voting for new parents in the House of Representatives continues as lawmakers work to find a solution that works for everyone.
