Proxy Voting for New Parents Resolution
This resolution authorizes proxy voting in the House of Representatives for a Member who has given birth or whose spouse has given birth and pregnant Members who are unable to travel safely or have a serious medical condition.
Under the resolution, a qualifying Member may designate a proxy to cast a vote in a committee, the Committee of the Whole, or on the House floor; however, proxies will not be counted for purposes of establishing a quorum. The proxy designation is valid for up to 12 weeks.
To designate a proxy for House and Committee of the Whole votes, the Member must submit a signed and dated letter to the Clerk stating the Member’s qualifying circumstances and the name and state of the Member who has agreed to be designated as proxy. A Member who has designated a proxy according to these requirements may also designate a proxy for committee votes. To designate a proxy for committee votes, the Member must provide the committee chair and ranking minority member with a signed and dated letter specifying another member of the committee to cast a proxy vote.
The resolution further provides that a Member may revoke the proxy authorization by (1) casting the Member’s own vote; (2) recording the Member’s own presence in the House or in the Committee of the Whole; or (3) in a committee, by submitting a signed letter to the chair and ranking minority member.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 23 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 23
Permitting parental remote voting by proxy, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 9, 2025
Ms. Pettersen (for herself, Mrs. Luna, Ms. Jacobs, Mr. Lawler, Mr.
Gomez, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Ms. Leger Fernandez, Mr. Ciscomani, Ms. Perez,
Mrs. Kim, Mr. Van Drew, and Mr. Neguse) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Rules
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Permitting parental remote voting by proxy, and for other purposes.
Resolved,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This resolution may be cited as the ``Proxy Voting for New Parents
Resolution''.
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF REMOTE VOTING BY PROXY IN HOUSE AND IN
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE FOR MEMBERS BECOMING PARENTS.
(a) Authorization.--
(1) In general.--Notwithstanding rule III, in the case of a
Member who has given birth or whose spouse has given birth,
such Member may designate another Member as a proxy who may
cast the vote of such Member or record the presence of such
Member in the House and in the Committee of the Whole House on
the state of the Union in accordance with this section.
(2) Period of authorization.--
(A) In general.--Except as provided under
subparagraph (B), the authority to vote by proxy or
record a presence pursuant to paragraph (1) shall begin
on the date of the birth and shall terminate 12 weeks
thereafter.
(B) Designation prior to birth.--Notwithstanding
subparagraph (A), a Member may instead make a
designation prior to the birth of a child in the event
that such Member's health care provider advises that
her pregnancy presents a serious medical condition or
that she is unable to travel safely. Such authority to
vote by proxy or record a presence shall terminate 12
weeks after the initial designation. Each week prior to
the birth of the child during which a Member does not
have a designated proxy shall not constitute a week for
purposes of this subparagraph.
(b) Requirements for Designation by Member.--
(1) In general.--In order for a Member to designate another
Member as a proxy under subsection (a), the Member shall submit
to the Clerk a signed and dated letter (which may be in
electronic form). Such letter must be submitted prior to the
start of the first vote in which the Member wishes to vote by
proxy and must include--
(A) an affirmative statement of--
(i) the birth of a child in the case of a
designation under subparagraph (A) of
subsection (a)(2); or
(ii) the existence of a medical condition
related to pregnancy as stipulated by the
Member's health care provider in the case of a
designation under subparagraph (B) of
subsection (a)(2);
(B) a statement of intent to vote by proxy,
including the name and State of the Member who has
agreed to be designated as a proxy; and
(C) an original signature of the Member making the
designation.
(2) Alteration and revocation.--At any time after
submitting a letter to designate a proxy under paragraph (1),
such Member may submit to the Clerk a signed letter (which may
be in electronic form) altering or revoking the designation.
(3) Automatic revocation upon casting of vote or recording
of presence.--If a Member who has designated another Member as
a proxy under this section casts the Member's own vote or
records the Member's own presence in the House or in the
Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, the
Member shall be considered to have revoked the designation of
any proxy under this section. Revocation of proxy does not
prohibit a Member from designating a proxy at a later time.
(c) Responsibilities of Clerk.--
(1) In general.--Upon receipt of a letter submitted by a
Member pursuant to subsection (b), the Clerk shall--
(A) verify the letter;
(B) notify the Speaker, the Majority Leader, the
Minority Leader, and the other Member or Members
involved in the designation, alteration, or revocation;
and
(C) if a letter is missing any of the items under
subsection (b)(1), notify the submitting Member of the
deficiency, which shall result in the proxy being
unable to vote on the Member's behalf.
(2) Maintenance of list.--The Clerk shall maintain an
updated list of the active designations, alterations, and
revocations pursuant to this section and shall make such list
publicly available in electronic form.
(d) Procedures for Casting Votes or Recording Presence by
Proxies.--
(1) Use of ballot card.--In the case of a vote by
electronic device, a Member who casts a vote or records a
presence as a designated proxy for another Member under this
section shall do so by ballot card, indicating on the ballot
card ``by proxy''.
(2) Instructions from member.--Prior to casting the vote or
recording the presence of another Member as a designated proxy
under this section, the Member shall obtain an exact
instruction from the other Member with respect to such vote.
The Member voting by proxy, to the maximum extent practicable,
shall provide written voting instruction to the Member serving
as proxy.
(3) Recognition by chair.--Immediately prior to casting the
vote or recording the presence of another Member as a
designated proxy under this section, the Member shall seek
recognition from the Chair to announce the intended vote or
recorded presence pursuant to the exact instruction received
from the other Member under paragraph (2).
(4) Following instructions from member.--A Member casting
the vote or recording the presence of another Member as a
designated proxy under this section shall cast such vote or
record such presence pursuant to the exact instruction received
from the other Member under paragraph (2).
(e) Prohibiting Use of Proxy To Establish Quorum.--Any Member whose
vote is cast or whose presence is recorded by a designated proxy under
this section shall not be counted for purposes of establishing a quorum
under the rules of the House.
SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF REMOTE VOTING BY PROXY IN COMMITTEE FOR
MEMBERS BECOMING PARENTS.
(a) Authorization.--Notwithstanding rule XI, a Member who has
designated another Member as a proxy who may cast the vote of such
Member under section 2 may designate a member of each committee on
which the Member sits as a proxy who may cast the vote of such Member
in committee in accordance with this section during the same period in
which another Member is authorized to cast the vote of such Member
under section 2.
(b) Requirements for Designation.--In order for a Member to
designate a committee member as a proxy under subsection (a), the
Member shall submit to the chair and ranking minority member a signed
and dated letter (which may be in electronic form) specifying by name
the other Member who is designated as a proxy for such Member. Such
letter must be submitted prior to the start of the first committee
meeting in which the Member wishes to vote by proxy.
(c) Alteration and Revocation.--At any time after submitting a
letter to designate a proxy under subsection (b), such Member may
submit to the chair and ranking minority member a signed letter (which
may be in electronic form) altering or revoking the designation.
(d) Automatic Revocation Upon Casting of Vote or Recording of
Presence.--If a Member who has designated another Member as a proxy
under this section casts the Member's own vote in a committee, the
Member shall be considered to have revoked the designation of proxy in
that committee under this section. Revocation of proxy does not
prohibit a Member from designating a proxy at a later time.
(e) Instructions From Member.--Prior to casting the vote of another
Member as a designated proxy under this section, the Member shall
obtain an exact instruction from the other Member with respect to such
vote. The Member voting by proxy, to the maximum extent practicable,
shall provide written voting instruction to the Member serving as
proxy.
(f) Prohibiting Use of Proxy To Establish Quorum.--Any Member whose
vote is cast in committee by a designated proxy under this section
shall not be counted for purposes of establishing a quorum under the
rules of the committee.
SEC. 4. APPLICATION TO DELEGATES AND THE RESIDENT COMMISSIONER.
For purposes of sections 2 and 3, the term ``Member'' shall include
a Delegate and the Resident Commissioner and the term ``State'' shall
include the District of Columbia and a territory, except that--
(1) nothing in this section authorizes a Delegate or the
Resident Commissioner to cast a vote in the House or record
their presence in the House; and
(2) a Delegate and the Resident Commissioner may be
designated as a proxy for purposes of section 2 only by a
Delegate or the Resident Commissioner.
<all>
Submitted in House
Submitted in House
Referred to the House Committee on Rules.
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