Members of the House would be allowed to designate a colleague to vote for them in the event they are unable to return to Washington amid the coronavirus outbreak under a proposal from the chairman of the House Rules Committee. Committee Chairman Jim McGovern, wrote in a letter to colleagues late Monday that voting by proxy could be made available for any members who are unable to return to Washington and cast an in-person vote due to the pandemic. This could include members who are under self-quarantine after testing positive for the coronavirus or had contact with someone who tested positive, those who are caring for someone who is ill or those who have reservations about traveling. The proposal came as members of the House were away from Washington, awaiting an agreement in the Senate on a nearly US$2 trillion economic rescue package that could come up for a vote this week. Rules Committee staff began exploring options for voting after two House members tested positive for the virus .

Source: The Standard March 24, 2020 01:52 UTC