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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representatives Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), Sara Jacobs (D-CA), and Mike Lawler (R-NY) introduced a bipartisan resolution to allow proxy voting for Members of Congress who are new parents under the Rules of the House for the 119th Congress. 

Pettersen will be just the 14th Member - and the first from Colorado - to give birth while serving in Congress.

This resolution is a step toward making Congress more accessible to women and young parents and ensuring the legislative body reflects the life experiences of the people it serves. Proxy voting for new parents would ensure Members don’t have to choose between representing their constituents and taking care of their newborns during such a critical time. 

“Our government works best when the life experiences of the American people are represented,” said Pettersen. “Enabling new parents to vote by proxy while they spend time recovering and taking care of their newborn baby is an important step in modernizing Congress and addressing one of the significant barriers young parents face to serving.” 

“No parent should have to choose between caring for their child, or recovering from childbirth, and fulfilling their duties in Congress to represent their constituents,” said Luna. “Congress needs to get with the times. This bipartisan proposal is vital in promoting a pro-family Washington, where every American has a voice and the unwavering representation they deserve.”

“The 119th Congress is the third oldest Congress since 1789 – and our internal House rules are partially to blame for that,” said Jacobs. “The House has largely failed to modernize and make changes to be more inclusive, accessible, and welcoming to young people including new parents and soon-to-be parents. During my first year in Congress, I froze my eggs and delayed starting a family partly because of the demands of this job and the constant travel. That’s why I’m so proud to be a part of this bipartisan coalition to give Members of Congress parental leave after giving birth so they don’t have to choose between their family and their jobs. This is a small but important step forward to make our government more representative of our country and ultimately pass policies that help families make ends meet and thrive.”

“Becoming a parent is one of the great joys in life, and it shouldn’t prevent members of Congress from being able to vote on critical legislation impacting their district,” said Lawler. “As the father of two young girls, I know how important it is to be with your children in those first few weeks. That’s why I’m working in a bipartisan way to establish proxy voting for new parents in Congress - so that new parents can continue to vote while caring for their newborns.”

In December, Reps. Pettersen, Luna, Jacobs, and Lawler led a bipartisan group of 12 Members, urging Speaker Johnson to allow proxy voting for new parents under the Rules of the House for the 119th Congress. 

This work is the latest in Pettersen’s continued efforts to make government more inclusive and accessible, especially for young families. During her time in the Colorado legislature, she was the first state lawmaker in Colorado history to take parental leave after giving birth to her son, Davis. Pettersen had to seek permission from Leadership and categorize her absence as a “chronic illness” in order to be paid while on leave. That’s why she brought legislation to change the outdated law and allow for paid parental leave for all future Colorado state lawmakers. 

Now in Congress and pregnant with her second child, she is working with a broad bipartisan coalition to allow proxy voting for Members of Congress who are new parents. 

The resolution is also cosponsored by Reps. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM), Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ), Marie Glusenkamp Perez (D-WA), Young Kim (R-CA), Joe Neguse (D-CO), and Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ).

Specifically, the Resolution would: 

• Allow Members who are new parents, both mothers and fathers, to vote by proxy for up to 12 weeks under the House Rules, excluding proxy votes from establishing a quorum.

• Allow pregnant Members to proxy vote if a pregnancy-related medical condition prevents travel. Time spent proxy voting pre-birth would count against the 12-week limit for parental leave.

Full text of the resolution can be found HERE.