WASHINGTON, DC — Rules Committee Chairman James P. McGovern (D-MA) today issued the following statement after House Republicans’ lawsuit attempting to block remote voting by proxy during the coronavirus pandemic was dismissed in District Court:
“The Constitution and more than 100 years of legal precedent - including Supreme Court cases - have all made clear that the House has the ability to set its own rules. This has been reaffirmed by constitutional experts again and again since this process began.
“Remote voting by proxy preserves our democratic process and ensures it functions even during an unprecedented public health crisis like the one we face today. I want to commend Congressman Rooney for utilizing proxy voting and showing that this should not be a partisan matter. This temporary change is about ensuring that this pandemic doesn’t prevent any American from getting representation on the House Floor.”
###