House Republicans sue Pelosi in long-shot bid to halt House proxy voting

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy
(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The House plans to vote Wednesday on reauthorizing the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, inaugurating a new rule that allows members to submit their votes via congressional proxy. The proxy voting rule, approved along party lines, allows one member of Congress to vote yes, no, or present for up to 10 colleagues, and more than 50 House Democrats had registered a proxy by Tuesday night. The temporary measure allows members of Congress to avoid travel and Washington, D.C., during the COVID-19 pandemic.

House Republicans sued House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in federal court Tuesday night to block the measure, claiming it is unconstitutional because the House would be voting without a physical quorum. Pelosi said Tuesday that the rule is "fully consistent with the Constitution," arguing the House GOP's "sad stunt" is an attempt "to delay and obstruct urgently needed action to meet the needs of American workers and families during the coronavirus crisis."

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.