House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., announced on Monday that the House would be extending its proxy voting up until May 14, The Hill reported.
"In light of the attached notification by the Sergeant-at-Arms, in consultation with the Office of Attending Physician, that a public health emergency is in effect due to a novel coronavirus, I am hereby extending the 'covered period' designated on January 4, 2021, pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 8, until May 14, 2022," Pelosi wrote.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Pelosi has extended proxy voting several times. The provision allows House members to vote on another's behalf if they aren't present to do so.
While the proxy voting has been used by those on both sides of the political aisle, Republicans have argued that the Constitution requires a quorum, or a majority, of legislators to be physically present in order to vote.
According to Fox News, while the pandemic was just kicking off, House Republicans filed a lawsuit against Pelosi to block the proxy voting. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., stated that the new rules would be "a dereliction of our duty as elected officials." He argued that "a small number of members dictating the businesses of the whole House while the people's voice is diluted" would set a dangerous precedent.
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