House

House Republicans oppose remote voting during crisis

by Juliegrace Brufke - 03/18/20 5:13 PM ET

Top Republicans in the House are opposed to the idea of allowing members to vote remotely due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In a call Tuesday with House GOP leaders and ranking members on committees, Republicans cited security concerns in arguing remote voting would not be feasible.

“I absolutely do not support remote voting. We have a job to do and we must do it,” one senior GOP lawmaker told The Hill.

During a separate call Wednesday with GOP lawmakers, members expressed unease “about the message it sends to the country,” one source on the call told The Hill.

During Wednesday’s call, Rep. Chip Roy (Texas) argued that voting remotely would be “inappropriate,” while Rep. Virginia Foxx (N.C.) said Congress needs “to maintain structure,” the source said.

A handful of on both sides of the aisle have expressed concerns that flying members back to Washington and having them gather on the crowded House floor could present a serious health risk, with proponents of a rule change arguing the House should lead by example in following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), Katie Porter (D-Calif.) and Van Taylor (R-Texas) spearheaded a letter sent to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Wednesday calling for members to be allowed to vote remotely during the national public health crisis.

“While Congress is an institution with a proud history, we cannot stand on tradition if it puts lives — and our ability to be the voice of our constituents — at risk,” the lawmakers wrote.

The House GOP’s concerns with voting remotely putting them in the same camp as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who told reporters on Tuesday that the Senate will “not be doing that. There are a number of different ways to avoid getting too many people together.”

Senators have been instructed to practice social distancing, per CDC guidelines, to help prevent the spread of the virus.

The House recessed last week after passing its second coronavirus relief measure. The Senate is now working to craft another emergency relief bill, and House members would be required to come back to Washington to vote on the measure unless leaders opt to pass it by unanimous consent.

One GOP lawmaker said Tuesday’s call involved a discussion about the logistics for voting in the House once they are back in session.

“There was discussion about how do we vote once we get back…. You can’t have 435 members on the floor together,” the lawmaker said, adding that remote voting was not the focus of the call.

Updated at 6:30 p.m.