- Trump supports 12-week proxy voting for congressional new parents
- House Speaker Johnson opposes measure as unconstitutional despite bipartisan support
- Discharge petition gains majority with 218 signatories, forcing floor debate
- 9 Republicans break ranks to block leadership’s counterproposal
President Donald Trump’s unexpected endorsement of proxy voting accommodations for congressional parents has intensified a growing divide within the Republican Party. The proposal, championed by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) and Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), seeks to modernize Capitol Hill’s parental leave policies – currently among the least flexible in federal government.
During Thursday’s flight to Florida, Trump emphasized practical governance over procedural tradition: New parents shouldn’t have to choose between their child and their constitutional duty.His comments followed a private discussion with Rep. Luna, who later revealed Speaker Johnson had proposed limiting proxy voting to emergency medical situationspost-childbirth.
Industry analysts note Congress lags behind 94% of Fortune 500 companies that offer paid parental leave. This isn’t about convenience,said Georgetown University governance expert Dr. Lisa Marlin. The 118th Congress has 13 new mothers – a historic high. Without proxy voting, their districts effectively lose representation during critical early parenting months.
A regional case study emerges from Colorado, where Rep. Pettersen helped pass 2023 state legislation allowing 16 weeks of proxy voting for legislators with newborns. The policy saw bipartisan approval and zero instances of abuse during its first year – data that contradicts Speaker Johnson’s warnings about systemic exploitation.
Post-COVID remote work trends further complicate opposition arguments. Over 72% of federal agencies now permit telework for parental needs, while congressional rules remain unchanged since 1993. If we trust members to classify documents remotely,noted former House Clerk Lorraine Miller, we can trust them to vote responsibly while caring for infants.
The discharge petition needs just 15 more signatures to bypass leadership roadblocks. With public support for family-friendly workplace policies at 89% in recent polls, political strategists warn continued Republican resistance could alienate suburban voters ahead of November elections.