(TheLibertyRevolution.com)- As part of her pandemic response, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi changed the House rules so members of Congress could vote for legislation by proxy. And two weeks ago, despite the lockdowns being long over, Pelosi extended the proxy voting rules until December 30.
This “health emergency” guideline has lasted for more than a year and seven months.
The Constitution requires lawmakers to assemble in person, which is why many Republicans have argued that Pelosi’s proxy vote rule is unconstitutional.
In July, a federal appeals court dismissed a lawsuit brought by Republicans against Speaker Pelosi’s proxy vote rule. In September, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy asked the Supreme Court to take up the matter.
But nothing’s changed.
To cast a proxy vote, House members must file with the Office of the House Clerk a letter which designates another member to vote on their behalf if they are “physically unable to attend proceedings in the House Chamber due to the ongoing public health emergency.”
Only, it’s November 2021, not April 2020. There is no ongoing public health emergency that precludes voting in person.
Now, to be fair, both Democrats and Republicans have availed themselves of proxy voting since Nancy put it in place. And not always for legitimate reasons.
In February, a group of Republicans submitted their proxy vote letters to the House Clerk so they could attend the CPAC conference in Florida.
Yeah, really.
Does attending CPAC sound like an “ongoing public health emergency” to you?
Last Friday, the House voted to pass the single largest spending bill in the history of the nation. And forty-seven Democrats had submitted letters to the House Clerk to vote for this massive welfare monstrosity by proxy.
That’s insane.
One of the Democrats who submitted a proxy letter was Oregon Congressman Peter DeFazio. DeFazio is the chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure meaning he was instrumental in the crafting of about $550 billion worth of green energy and climate change provisions loaded up in this monster bill.
And he couldn’t be bothered to show up and vote in person?
