Opinion: House Republicans Have the Opportunity to Make the 119th Congress the Most Modern and Pro-Family in Recent History
BY DANIELLE STEWART AND TAYLOR J. SWIFT
This year, House Members have cast more than 500 floor votes over approximately 100 days in session. A fundamental responsibility for Members, these votes are the core mechanism through which lawmakers express the will of their constituents and fulfill their Article I duties. With a single-digit majority, the smallest in 100 years, the House remains in Republican control and the majority party has the opportunity to make the 119th Congress one of the most modern and pro-family legislative sessions in recent history.
On average, 120 to 170 voting days are scheduled annually, with a minimum of 500 votes taken each year. In 2023, the House called votes 719 times, the most since 2011, with 96.9% Member participation. But despite the clear importance of voting, recent reports suggest that Member attendance on the House floor has dropped dramatically in the last few months. While this is not entirely unexpected in a busy election year, the dip in attendance speaks to a larger issue. Lawmakers face unavoidable personal challenges, including illness, parental leave, and family emergencies, which can cause them to miss voting days. Although some Members take great pride in never missing a vote, the reality is that life often necessitates absences. As bipartisan former staffers who work every day to help the legislative branch operate more effectively and better serve constituents, we believe that the House must create a system that accommodates Members facing personal challenges or major life changes, such as parental leave, bereavement, or extended absences due to health issues.
During a critical vote series, Members have rushed to the House floor immediately following surgical procedures or left their families during times of need to fly to Washington, DC to vote and then return home. This dedication is admirable, but Members should be able to fully participate in the legislative process without having to sacrifice their well-being or that of their families. Consider the case of Rep. Anna Paulina Luna [R, FL], who missed 137 votes last year after giving birth to her son. Complications from labor and a mastitis infection prevented her from returning to DC, though she expressed a desire to vote while home in Florida with her newborn. This year, Rep. Seth Magaziner [D, RI] missed 81 votes for paternity leave, and Rep. Raúl Grijalva [D, AZ] missed 127 votes over two months while undergoing treatment for cancer.
With the start of the 119th Congress in January, the House can modernize its voting procedures by including a proxy voting option when it adopts new Rules. This would ensure near-universal participation and such a system would also better prepare the House to respond to future emergencies, whether they be individual or national in scope. Paul Kane highlighted current support for a system that supports Members on leave in a recent column for The Washington Post. “A woman who cannot travel because of pregnancy complications should be allowed to cast her vote,” a former Democratic aide shared, acknowledging the current process can be “unnecessarily harsh.”
In September, Rep. Luna introduced a Discharge Petition to bring her legislation in support of proxy voting for new parents, H.Res.1115, to the floor, and Members supported this rules change during the Rules Committee Member Day hearing. Rep. Brittany Pettersen [D, CO], shared that she was 20 weeks pregnant at the time and due in January, and cited the need for institutional modernization to support new parents like herself so they can care for their newborns while continuing to serve their constituents.
Proxy voting, implemented in the House during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowed Members to designate another lawmaker to cast votes on their behalf, ensuring participation even if they could not physically be present. But, critics argue that it undermined the principle of direct representation and was exploited for absenteeism. To address these valid concerns, the House could implement proxy voting with strict guardrails - solely implemented for Members’ use during parental leave, bereavement, or personal illness.
Voting policy upgrades have proven successful in other democratic legislatures around the world. In the Canadian House of Commons, a hybrid voting system first introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic allows MPs to now vote remotely through a secure app, ensuring that personal circumstances do not prevent them from participating in parliamentary duties. Meanwhile, in the United Kingdom, Members of Parliament have the opportunity to appoint a proxy for votes for a maximum of seven months for “new mothers, new fathers and adoptive parents or in circumstances where there have been complications relating to childbirth, miscarriage or baby loss.”
By denying Members the ability to vote remotely during critical personal events, we risk leaving entire constituencies unrepresented. Proxy voting would not only make it easier for Members to balance their personal and professional responsibilities but would also strengthen the democratic process by ensuring that every vote is cast, even when circumstances prevent physical presence.
In an era where technology allows for unprecedented connectivity, there is no reason why Congress should not embrace proxy voting as a means to enhance both participation and representation. Providing Members the opportunity to vote and represent their constituents, even when they are unable to be physically present due to physical or family limitations, ensures that the American people are truly being served by the people they have elected to represent them and their families.
Danielle Stewart is POPVOX Foundation’s Advisor for Congressional Initiatives, previously served as Chief of Staff to a freshman Member of Congress and in multiple roles for various Member offices in the House and Senate, including as Communications Director for the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress in the 116th Congress.
Taylor J. Swift is POPVOX Foundation’s Director of Government Capacity and previously worked for the House of Representatives Democratic Caucus, where he focused on Congressional modernization, budget, appropriations, education, labor, environmental, and tax policy.
