Republicans in the House have filed a lawsuit against Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in attempt to end the new proxy voting rule allowing members of Congress to vote on behalf of up to 10 other members.
Under the Democrat-passed measure, members will be able to direct other members to vote on their behalf, for the first time in the nation's history.
“We're opening up churches. We're opening up hair salons. Even today in America, we're going to send astronauts back into space. The only place that hasn't been opening is here on the capital inside the House,” Rep. Kevin McCarthy told reporters on Wednesday.
“We know that we have a responsibility that is essential that Congress does its work. Today, for more than two hundred and thirty one years, never have we seen a proxy vote on the floor of the House.”
“This challenges the Constitution only to protect and empower a speaker. It violates the Constitution, it is a dereliction of duty by its members,” McCarthy said.
“If the Democrats are successful in allowing a proxy vote to make their own rules, what stops them from making a rule that only certain people can vote or certain members cannot have a full vote, a half vote? Nothing.
Yes, the House can make their rules, but they cannot make something different than the Constitution says.”
"This is unconstitutional, what the Democrats are doing," McCarthy added.
McCarthy is named in the lawsuit filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., with the support of 20 other members of his party.
Rep. Dan Crenshaw tweeted out his opposition to proxy voting on Wednesday.
“Democrats don’t believe they should have to lead from the front and show up to Washington to vote.
They’re scared, they want to ‘telework’ and they think you should be scared too.”