Washington — On Tuesday, the House voted down an initiative that would have effectively halted a movement to permit new parents to vote remotely during the birth of their child, marking a significant defeat for House Speaker Mike Johnson.
Nine Republicans sided with all Democrats during a procedural vote, contributing to the measure’s failure. Johnson described the result as “disappointing,” noting that it is rare for a “handful of Republicans to join with all the Democrats to nullify a rule.”
He indicated that this outcome prevented any further legislative efforts for the week.
“To be clear, the defeat of that rule means we cannot proceed with additional actions on the floor this week,” Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, informed reporters following the vote. “This is truly unfortunate. We’ll reevaluate and return.”
The debate over allowing remote voting for new parents in Congress intensified this week after Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Republican from Florida, departed from the conservative House Freedom Caucus as her colleagues plotted against the bipartisan initiative.
The proposal, introduced by Democratic Rep. Brittany Pettersen of Colorado in January, aims to let new parents designate a colleague to vote on their behalf for up to 12 weeks post-birth. This measure would also permit an earlier start to this period if the lawmaker is facing a serious medical issue or cannot travel safely.
However, Johnson and other Republicans have criticized proxy voting, asserting that it is unconstitutional. They argue that this measure could set a precedent for misuse, despite it being specifically aimed at new and expecting parents.
Luna, a cosponsor of the bill, sought to circumvent leadership by initiating a discharge petition to force a vote on the proposal, provided it received a simple majority. Her petition quickly garnered support, reaching the threshold with 206 Democrats and 11 additional Republicans backing it.
In response, Republicans attempted to undermine Luna’s move by adding language into a rule related to a different bill about election security, aiming to table her discharge petition.
In her resignation letter from the House Freedom Caucus on Monday, Luna accused members of threatening Johnson with an indefinite halt to floor proceedings unless her initiative was blocked. She labeled this tactic as “a betrayal of trust.”
“The speaker is being held hostage,” Luna stated to reporters on Monday.
Luna contended that allowing new parents to vote remotely is not unconstitutional since proxy votes would not contribute to the quorum. She pointed out that those opposing the practice had also voted by proxy during the pandemic, including Johnson.
Proxy voting was instituted by Democrats during the pandemic but was terminated by Republicans when they reclaimed the House majority in 2023.
Pettersen introduced the bill just weeks before giving birth to her son in Colorado. She rushed back to Washington with her then-4-week-old infant in order to vote on a budget resolution.
On Tuesday, Pettersen cradled her fussy baby on the House floor while imploring her colleagues to support remote voting for new mothers. “It is astounding that in 2025 we have not yet modernized Congress to address these unique challenges faced by members. These life events should allow our voices to be heard; our constituents deserve representation.”
Luna experienced complications during the birth of her son in 2023, which hindered her ability to attend votes.
