At the height of COVID-19, many people worked from remotely.
So did members of the House of Representatives, thanks to a special rule that allowed them to cast votes on legislation even when they were not in Washington. But some lawmakers were accused of abusing proxy voting, and Republicans eliminated the rule when they assumed the majority in January.
Now one North Carolina lawmaker wants to bring it back, in certain circumstances.
Proxy voting was introduced in 2020 when Nancy Pelosi was Speaker of the House. Proxy voting allowed lawmakers to permit other members to vote for them. Lawmakers who wanted to vote by proxy had to sign a letter saying they could not physically be in Congress due to the ongoing public health emergency.
A report from Cronkite News from last year found that close to 10% of all votes cast in the House dating back to 2020 were done by proxy.
But one of the first things the Republicans did when they reclaimed the House majority in January was do away with proxy voting.
"No more proxy voting," House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., wrote on Twitter in January. "Effective immediately, Members of Congress have to show up to work if they want their vote to count."
Not having the option to vote by proxy has forced some lawmakers to miss votes because they physically could not be in Washington.
Earlier this year, Rep. Deborah Ross' husband went into cardiac arrest, which resulted in her spending days with him in the hospital. Not long after that, she came down with COVID-19. Each of those times, the North Carolina congresswoman was stuck in Raleigh, and had to miss votes, including on a consequential bill to raise the debt ceiling.
"Ultimately, the people who suffer when we can't vote, it's not the politicians, it's the constituents whose voices aren't heard," Ross told Spectrum News.
Ross introduced an amendment that would allow members to vote by proxy if they or their spouse or dependent have a serious medical condition. It includes pregnancy related conditions. A doctor also would have to provide a recommendation not to travel.
Ross says that the changes avoid the problems of the last Congress, where, she admitted some lawmakers in both parties took advantage of proxy voting.
"That's the reason my proposal is very narrow," she said. "It wouldn't be because you wanted to go home early or you were holding a fundraiser. I completely agree it should be narrowed."
But the National Republican Congressional Committee has thrown cold water on the idea, writing on Twitter: "Everyday Americans have to show up to work to get paid. Extreme House Democrats think they’re above that."
Not having proxy voting this year has been tough for House Republicans as a group. Because they hold only a slim majority, members who can't be in Washington for a vote could cause closely contested legislation to be rejected.