House Democrats scrapped their plan to move forward with a historic rules change to allow remote voting after Republicans opposed the proposed new procedures.
Democrats were told in a closed-door meeting Wednesday afternoon that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy agreed to continue reviewing options for members to work remotely.
Rep. Jim McGovern, Massachusetts Democrat and chairman of the House Rules Committee, applauded that agreement at the start of his hearing Wednesday evening but urged his colleagues to find a solution.
“One way or another Congress is going to have to adapt to whatever the future may bring,” said Mr. McGovern, Massachusetts Democrat. “We need to be prepared and that may mean working remotely.”
“I really believe that maintaining the status quo is not an option,” he said.
The decision to pull the policy came just hours after Mr. McGovern unveiled a resolution that would have instituted a proxy voting system, allowing members to designate one of their colleagues to vote on their behalf.
The emergency rule would extend only to bills related to the coronavirus pandemic, which has kept most House members away from the Capitol in compliance with social distancing guidelines.
The House was set to vote on the resolution Thursday but Republicans whipped together a united opposition. They argued the resolution was a dangerous precedent and complained that they were shut out of the decision-making process.
The House, like the Senate, is not set to return in a full session to Washington until May 4 because of the pandemic.
Members have repeatedly petitioned leadership to allow for remote voting, a proposal both the Democratic and Republican leaderships have rejected due to Constitutional and security concerns.
The House has relied on unanimous consent and voice votes to pass coronavirus legislation — procedures that are easily blocked without widespread agreement.
“They literally dropped a bill at dark of night to try to allow one person, theoretically, to have the proxy of dozens of Members of Congress. That’s not who we are,” said Minority Whip Steve Scalise, Louisiana Republican. “I’m glad that Speaker Pelosi pulled that bad idea today.”
Mr. McCarthy, California Republican, suggested that lawmakers come to work on Capitol Hill in-person and maintain safe social distancing procedures, as they plan to do with Thursday’s vote on the nearly $500 billion emergency coronavirus relief package.
“It’ll be nine different sections of members to come vote with a time slot. So, you’d come in certain doors and out the others,” he explained.
The House Rules Committee met in person Wednesday evening, taking over the large Ways and Means Committee room to allow for social distancing among members. Health and security officials on Capitol Hill have urged members and staff to wear masks as a precaution.
While Democrats were on board with adopting remote voting procedures, there was an internal debate on the best approach. Many had called for using some sort of technology to digitally vote and hold hearings, though Mrs. Pelosi and Mr. McGovern have repeated cited their concerns about security.
“These systems allow one to see and identify the person who is speaking and hear what is being said with little doubt about the identity of the participant. Used for the purposes of Floor and committee business, there would be little doubt who voted aye or nay,” Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Maryland Democrat, wrote in a letter Tuesday, defending the use of virtual voting.
“While any distance-voting is less optimal than in-person voting or debating in committee or on the floor of the House, the sound and image of the Member doing so virtually is far superior to the utilization of proxies,” he said.
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
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