- President Trump expressed support for proxy voting for new mothers, allowing them to vote remotely after childbirth. However, he emphasized that the decision ultimately rests with Speaker Mike Johnson.
- Florida Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna introduced a bill to allow new parents to vote by proxy for 12 weeks after childbirth, but Speaker Mike Johnson opposed the measure.
- Luna thanked Trump for his support and said she had discussed limiting proxy voting to new mothers who could not travel.
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While aboard Air Force One Thursday evening, April 3, President Donald Trump said he supports proxy voting for new mothers. However, he emphasized that the decision ultimately rests with Speaker Mike Johnson.
“I don’t know why it’s controversial. It’s a little controversial,” Trump told reporters. “And I’m going to let the speaker make the decision, but I like the idea of being able to, if you’re having a baby, I think you should be able to call in and vote. I’m in favor of that.”
Who introduced the bill?
Last year, Florida Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna introduced a bill allowing new mothers and fathers to vote by proxy for 12 weeks after their child is born. The bill would enable parents to stay home for three months instead of voting in person in the chamber following childbirth.
Speaker Johnson opposed the measure, arguing it would “open Pandora’s box for the institution” and refused to bring it to the floor for a vote.
Will lawmakers vote on the bill?
However, on Tuesday, April 1, 218 lawmakers signed a discharge petition to bypass Johnson and bring the bill to the floor for consideration. Nine Republicans joined every House Democrat, rejecting Johnson’s effort to block the bill.
After Johnson’s defeat, he sent House members home for the rest of the week. The bill has not yet been brought to the floor for a full vote.
“To allow proxy voting for one category of members would open the door for many others, and ultimately result in remote voting that would harm the operation of our deliberative body and diminish the critical role of the legislative branch,” Johnson said in a post on X.
Luna also responded to Trump’s comments, thanking the president for “supporting a pro-family Congress.” She added that Speaker Johnson called her after Trump’s remarks, stating in part, “Speaker Johnson has called me after POTUS’ statement and we discussed limiting the vote to just new moms who cannot physically travel in event of emergency etc. This is smart.”
The only time in history that House members, including Johnson, could vote by proxy was during the COVID-19 pandemic.
