Top Republicans want the House to drop remote voting and mask requirements imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, top committee Republicans and the leadership team called on the California Democrat to end proxy voting, which permits lawmakers on the House floor to vote in place of their absent colleagues.
The letter also asks Pelosi to drop the virtual committee hearings and virtual committee votes, which have been employed for more than a year, and to end the practice of holding open each vote for 30 minutes in order to allow social distancing in the chamber.
“The flawed system of proxy voting and extended vote times has led to exorbitant delays on the House floor,” Republicans wrote to Pelosi. “In addition, burdensome virtual committee hearings permeated with technical difficulties have failed to deliver timely debate and quality legislation on behalf of the American people. While we appreciate that the COVID-19 crisis yielded unprecedented circumstances, there is simply no scientific or public health need to continue entertaining these restrictive practices.”
Pelosi last week rejected ending the mask requirement in the chamber and announced it would remain in place until all lawmakers and floor staff are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Republicans have criticized the mask policy, which conflicts with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance that the fully vaccinated do not need masks indoors or outdoors.
Many states have dropped all mask requirements.
Proxy voting remains popular in the House, and some Republicans have joined in on using it.
Democrats passed the proxy voting rule on May 15, 2020, breaking the 231-year-old requirement that House lawmakers debate and vote on legislation in person.
The rule allows each member to vote for up to 10 other lawmakers, which Republican leaders have argued is unconstitutional and strips constituents of proper representation in Congress.
But Democrats said the change was necessary to allow the House to operate safely during a pandemic.
The Senate did not change the in-person voting requirement but has long allowed proxy voting in committee.
