WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Congressman Jason Smith (MO-08) testified before the House Rules Committee about the use of proxy voting, a practice which allows Members of Congress to designate a colleague to cast a vote on their behalf, that Washington Democrats implemented in the House of Representatives at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the hearing, Congressman Smith argued that proxy voting violates the Constitution and enables Members of Congress to vote on authorizing the use of military force, trillions in government spending, and even new policies that rewrite America’s laws without showing up to work in-person.
“The American people have a lot of reasons to be upset with the direction our country is headed. Inflation just hit a new forty-year high. Gas prices are the highest in twelve years. Over two million illegal immigrants crossed our southern border in the last year alone. These are the kind of national problems the American people want us to solve. They elected us to do a job; to have robust debate; to make tough choices; to take real action. But, at the very least, they expect us to show up for work,” said Congressman Smith.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has extended proxy voting more than ten consecutive times since May of 2020. Members of Congress are now using proxy voting to shirk their responsibilities to constituents. Last year, over 17,000 proxy votes were cast in the House – almost one in every ten votes. Over the last two years, Congressman Smith has been a vocal critic of this practice and has led through example by never casting a vote using proxy voting.
Congressman Smith noted throughout the 230-year history of Congress, it has always convened in-person, even during wars and pandemic, to do the people’s business:
- The Constitutional Convention specifically rejected proposals to establish proxy voting.
- War of 1812 – Congress convened in a Washington, D.C. hotel when the Capitol was set on fire by British troops.
- Civil War – Congress met and voted in-person even though the House chamber was used to house Union soldiers.
- 1918 Spanish flu – Congress voted in-person during a global pandemic.
Watch Congressman Smith’s testimony here.