President Donald Trump publicly expressed his support for allowing new moms in Congress to vote by proxy while caring for their newborns, a move that contradicts House Speaker Mike Johnson’s previous opposition to proxy voting. Trump stated that he believes new moms should have the ability to call in and vote, and mentioned that he had spoken with Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, who is one of the lawmakers advocating for the proposal. Luna, along with Rep. Brittany Pettersen, is pushing a plan that would allow new parents to vote by proxy for 12 weeks. The proposal has gained enough support from 218 lawmakers to force a vote on the issue.
Despite Johnson’s historic opposition to proxy voting, citing concerns about its constitutionality and misuse during the COVID-19 pandemic under then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Luna revealed that Johnson reached out to her after Trump’s endorsement. Luna indicated that Johnson proposed limiting the vote to just new moms who are unable to physically travel in case of an emergency. A recent attempt by Johnson to halt the proxy voting effort was unsuccessful, as nine Republicans joined with Democrats to block his move, resulting in a vote of 206-222. Following the loss, Johnson canceled further votes for the week, but the issue remains unresolved.
Luna emphasized that the proxy voting issue is not about advancing any specific legislation for the president, and clarified that she communicated this to Johnson directly. It is uncertain whether the issue will be revisited for a vote on the House floor before the upcoming April recess. Both the office of House Speaker Mike Johnson and Representative Anna Paulina Luna did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital. Luna resigned from the House Freedom Caucus, citing a breakdown in mutual respect among its members as the reason for her departure. The escalating tensions within the GOP over proxy voting and Luna’s advocacy for new moms in Congress have added complexity to the debate on the issue. Trump’s endorsement of the proposal has further highlighted the divide between those in favor of proxy voting for new parents and those who oppose it on constitutional grounds.
