House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the House will move likely forward with a vote on remote voting procedures, regardless of whether or not Republicans are in support.
“The consensus is there will be a vote on proxy voting. Whether Republicans join or not is going to be up to them to announce,” she told reporters on Wednesday.
Last week, House Democrats scrapped their plan to vote on a resolution that would allow proxy voting, where members unable to travel to Capitol Hill designate other members to vote on their behalf. Republicans objected to that proposal and organized a whip campaign against it.
The emergency rule would extend only to bills related to the coronavirus pandemic.
In the meantime, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and the top-ranking members of the House Rules and Administration committees have been meeting to work out policies so lawmakers can do their jobs remotely. The emphasis so far, Mr. Hoyer said Tuesday, has been on committees.
Mrs. Pelosi noted that a couple of the committees are trying to get a plan in place so they can begin holding hearings next week.
This all comes just a day after Democratic leadership abruptly reversed their decision to come back to Capitol Hill by May 4, saying the Capitol physician warned that members were putting themselves at risk of catching coronavirus.
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
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