Nearly 30% of the House Democratic caucus was absent ahead of a critical vote on U.S. Postal Service funding Saturday.
New House rules allow proxy voting, which allows lawmakers to cast votes on behalf of absent members.
Saturday’s vote on a procedural measure so far included proxy votes by 68 Democrats and one Republican. The 69 absent lawmakers, who cast their vote by proxy on a procedural measure, represent 16% of the entire House, which consists of 431 lawmakers.
The House voted on legislation Saturday to provide the USPS with $25 billion in additional funding. The measure also blocks Postmaster General Louis DeJoy from implementing service changes during the coronavirus outbreak.
The missing lawmakers who voted by proxy include Rep. Joseph Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat who is campaigning in the Bay State to defeat incumbent Democratic Sen. Ed Markey in a Sept. 1 primary.
Rep. Raul Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat, also voted by proxy.
Grijalva announced earlier in August he had contracted the coronavirus.
Democrats voted in May to allow proxy voting on floor legislation, breaking two centuries of tradition requiring in-person voting.
Democrats cited the coronavirus pandemic and the risk of having 435 lawmakers traveling to the Capitol from districts nationwide, which could increase the spread of the virus.
read more here: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/congress/nearly-30-of-house-democrats-skip-emergency-session-to-bail-out-postal-service
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