# Plain Language Summary: Proxy Voting for New Parents Resolution

This resolution allows members of Congress to have another representative vote on their behalf for a limited time after they have a baby or their spouse has a baby. Specifically, a new parent in the House of Representatives can designate a colleague to cast votes and record their presence for up to 12 weeks following the birth. This means a congressperson doesn't have to physically be in Washington during this period to participate in votes—their designated proxy handles it for them. The resolution also allows members to make this arrangement before the baby is born if their doctor advises that their pregnancy presents serious medical risks or makes travel unsafe.

The process is straightforward: the new parent submits a signed letter to the House Clerk naming which colleague will serve as their proxy. That proxy then votes exactly as instructed by the absent member on each vote, announcing to the House that they're voting "by proxy." The member can change their proxy designation at any time or cancel it entirely if they decide to return to voting in person. The House Clerk maintains a public list of all active proxy arrangements so everyone knows what's happening. If the absent member shows up and votes themselves, the proxy arrangement automatically ends.

There's one important limitation: a member whose vote is cast by proxy cannot be counted toward establishing a quorum—the minimum number of members who need to be present for the House to conduct official business. This prevents the proxy system from being used to artificially inflate attendance numbers. The same proxy voting rules apply to committee votes during the same 12-week period, so new parents can have their committee work covered as well. The resolution also extends these rights to congressional delegates and the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico, though with some restrictions on their voting authority.

Proxy Voting for New Parents Resolution

Pettersen, Brittany

Proxy Voting for New Parents ResolutionThis resolution authorizes proxy voting in the House of Representatives for a Member who has given birth or whose spouse has given birth and pregnant Members who are unable to travel safely or have a serious medical condition.Under the resolution, a qualifying Member may designate a proxy to cast a vote in a committee, the Committee of the Whole, or on the House floor; however, proxies will not be counted for purposes of establishing a quorum. The proxy designation is valid for up to 12 weeks.To designate a proxy for House and Committee of the Whole votes, the Member must submit a signed and dated letter to the Clerk stating the Member’s qualifying circumstances and the name and state of the Member who has agreed to be designated as proxy. A Member who has designated a proxy according to these requirements may also designate a proxy for committee votes. To designate a proxy for committee votes, the Member must provide the committee chair and ranking minority member with a signed and dated letter specifying another member of the committee to cast a proxy vote.&nbsp;The resolution&nbsp;further provides that a Member may revoke the proxy authorization by (1) casting the Member’s own vote; (2) recording the Member’s own presence in the House or in the Committee of the Whole; or (3) in a committee, by submitting a signed letter to the chair and ranking minority member.