Congressman Keller votes against Speaker Pelosi’s proxy voting scheme

Rule change is a Pelosi power grab that flies in the face of what it means to meet in Congress

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Fred Keller (R-PA) on Friday voted against H. Res. 965, which would change the U.S. House of Representatives rules to allow for proxy voting.

The proposal would allow members to cast proxy votes on the House floor for up to 10 of their colleagues, all but end House floor debate, and allow for remote work of committees.

In a statement earlier this week, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and other Republicans said the proposal, “[C]reates a dangerous new definition of ‘voting by proxy’ that runs counter to past House committee precedent, current Senate committee practice, and the Constitution.”

On voting no on the proposal, Congressman Fred Keller (R-PA) made the following statement:

“This plan is the largest power grab potentially ever seen in the United States Congress and flies in the face of what it means for Congress to deliberate: meeting together to discuss important items as a body, in the openness of the press, in front of the American people—the very people who hired each of us to represent them.

“We should be leading from the front like millions of essential, frontline workers across America – not retreating when the American people need leadership. We have now come to Washington three different times since the outbreak of COVID-19. We have done so safely each time. There is no reason why we cannot continue to meet in person and do the people’s business for everyone to see.”