BREAKING: House Takes Unprecedented Step to Allow Proxy Voting, Remote Hearings During Pandemic

In an historic, unprecedented move, the House of Representatives approved a measure to temporarily allow proxy voting as well as remote hearings for members of Congress who are unable to be physically present in the Capitol because of coronavirus lockdowns.

Per NPR, the House measure passed the new rules on a party line vote of 217 to 189, overcoming Republican opposition. The new rules, however, are not permanent and would expire once nationwide quarantine measures are ended.

“Now, a member can vote on behalf of 10 others who can’t travel to Washington, D.C. Committees can also hold hearings and markups through video conference,” the report notes. “Currently, the House can only hold informal briefings remotely, but unlike the Senate, they can’t hold a formal hearing with a member or witness attending remotely. Now, the Chief Administrative Officer will designate software panels can use to conduct the hearings, or in addition, markups or depositions.”

The chamber faced a growing dilemma, as the House had been mostly shut down for the past two months, as Congressional members and their staffs had been increasingly unable or uncomfortable to conduct official business. This rule change would free the hundreds of Representatives to make individual decisions about travel to and from Washington, D.C. that comport with the specific public health threats in their respective home districts.