Shortly after Republicans took control of the House last year, GOP leaders were quick to undo a number of policies implemented by the previous Democratic majority. Among them was a COVID-era rule that allowed lawmakers to vote remotely. 

Freshman Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) voted with the rest of her party in January 2022 to remove the proxy voting rules and force lawmakers to be present on the floor to cast their votes. The strategy was partly intended to help bolster their slim majority, especially if lawmakers, namely Democrats, were absent from the floor due to sickness or travel. 

Now, Luna wants to make a slight adjustment to allow for one exception: new mothers. 

“I will happily work with any member of Congress to change this but I will not stay silent on this topic,” Luna said in a post on X earlier this month. “It needs to change.”

In a bill introduced on Tuesday, Luna is seeking to amend the no-proxy rule to allow members who have given birth to designate another lawmaker to cast votes in their name. The legislation has narrow stipulations and would allow the exception for only six weeks after the birth of the child — half the time paid maternity leave is offered to federal employees.

The bill would cover only mothers who have physically given birth, omitting those who have adopted or had a baby by surrogate. It also does not include exceptions for new fathers. 

Although Luna was once a staunch opponent of voting remotely, that perspective began to shift after the Florida Republican had her first child last year — making her only the 12th member of Congress to give birth while in office. 

Due to some complications from that birth, Luna was unable to travel to Washington for a series of crucial votes, including the contentious continuing resolution to avert a government shutdown and the subsequent historic ouster of Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) in October 2023. 

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Since her return, Luna is seen wheeling her son in a stroller onto the House floor for votes frequently. In between votes, the congresswoman keeps him close by in her office.

The bill has garnered support from at least 22 co-sponsors, including 19 Democrats and three Republicans. It is not yet clear when the legislation may be brought to the floor for a vote.