WASHINGTON — A pair of moms is pushing to change how lawmakers can vote in Congress, making it easier for new parents to weigh in on legislation despite travel restrictions and responsibilities that come with a newborn.
Reps. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., and Brittany Pettersen, D-Colo., filed a discharge petition this week that would allow them to bypass House leadership and force a vote on a bill that would allow new parents to vote by proxy while on maternity or paternity leave. The issue has received bipartisan support but has been stalled by House Republican leadership, who are generally opposed to voting remotely.
By filing such a petition, lawmakers can bring legislation to the floor even without leadership approval so long as a majority of the House signs on. Luna and Pettersen surpassed that threshold on Tuesday, with 218 lawmakers signing on in support.
At least 11 Republicans have joined Luna in crossing party lines to sign the discharge petition so far.
It’s not yet clear when the bill may be brought to the floor as the House adjourned for recess on Tuesday evening and is not scheduled to return until March 24.
Luna has long pushed for increased flexibility in how new parents can vote. She became particularly vocal about the topic after she gave birth to her son in 2023 and was not allowed to vote by proxy on key legislation.
Luna’s initial proposal would have allowed for up to six weeks of proxy voting for new mothers, although that bill was never taken up by the House.
As a result, Luna forged a bipartisan alliance with Pettersen to force a vote through the rarely used political maneuver. Their bill would allow for up to 12 weeks of proxy voting on the House floor and in committees for both new mothers and fathers.
The issue has become more prominent in recent weeks, especially after Pettersen made a surprise appearance to vote against Republicans’ budget resolution last month — despite giving birth to her second son just one month earlier.
“Unfortunately, Republican Leadership denied my ability to vote remotely after giving birth to my son, Sam, but that’s not stopping us from showing up to vote NO on this disastrous budget proposal,” Pettersen said in a post on X.
The issue of proxy voting has been politically fraught in recent years. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Democratic leaders in Congress allowed for proxy voting. But GOP leaders rescinded that decision after Republicans took control of the House in 2023, forcing lawmakers to be physically present to cast their vote.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is particularly opposed to proxy voting, even going so far as to lead a Republican-led lawsuit to end the COVID-era proxy voting rules. Johnson has been wary to make exceptions, repeatedly telling reporters that the Constitution requires in-person voting.
Luna said she has spoken with Johnson about the issue several times, but the speaker has not budged. However, the Florida Republican says she’s not worried.
“I’m right. He’s not right,” Luna told reporters on Tuesday. “So we’re getting it passed.”