A group of House Republicans and Democrats have garnered enough signatures to force a vote on a bill that would allow new mothers or their spouses to vote by proxy.
A majority of the House – 218 members – signed a discharge petition that would effectively force a vote on H. Res 23, which would give new parents 12 weeks to vote by proxy.
The resolution also allows for mothers to vote by proxy before giving birth if the lawmakers’ “health care provider advises that her pregnancy presents a serious medical condition or that she is unable to travel safely.”
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), who had a child in Aug. 2023, is the lead sponsor of the legislation. Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.), who gave birth to a child just weeks ago and has returned to the Capitol twice for critical votes, is also behind the bill, as are Reps. Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.), Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-N.M.), Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.), Young Kim (R-Calif.), Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.) and Joe Neguse (D-Colo.).
Several other Republicans signed onto the discharge petition including Reps. Michael Rulli (Ohio), Tim Burchett (Tenn.), Dan Crenshaw (Texas), Byron Donalds (Fla.), Andy Ogles (Tenn.), Dan Meuser (Pa.), Wesley Hunt (Texas), Rich McCormick (Ga.) and David Joyce (Ohio).
Speaker Mike Johnson hasn’t been supportive, however.
Discharge petitions are rarely successful because the party in power views them as circumventing the leadership’s authority. This discharge petition having got 218 signatures signals that it will likely pass when it comes up for a vote, and become part of the House rules.
Once the discharge petition is on the calendar, seven legislative days must pass before a member who signed the petition can notify their intent to bring it up for a vote. Then the speaker designates a time within two legislative days to bring up the bill.
