Glamour: We learned on Monday that a deal had been reached on the proxy voting issue, but it was a far cry from the rule change you proposed. Can you explain what was agreed on? What is vote pairing, exactly?
So, if you and I were in Congress together and I couldn’t be there, but I was a yes vote on a bill and you were a no vote, if you agreed to pair with me, then you would vote present instead of no, so that our votes canceled each other out and my absence wouldn’t have impacted the outcome.
Now, the reason why that doesn’t work and what I brought up on the [House] floor isâ¦what Republican is going to vote present on my behalf this week if I were to leave? Of course, there will be no Republican that will do that. We’re voting on the budget. We’re voting on bills that they see a priority, so they’re not going to be on record voting âpresentâ instead of voting in support.
Right, with Congress as divided as it is it will be a challenge to find a Republican who is willing to effectively throw their vote away on your behalf.
It brings a political liability if you’re on record voting âpresentâ instead of voting for it or against it. It doesn’t guarantee that the absent lawmaker has a voice and that you’re represented under these narrow circumstances.
Rep. Luna, a Republican, was a key ally for you in this fight. Why do you think ultimately she agreed to this deal, even though it wasnât what you both had hoped?
She was working through her leadership, politics, and relationships and trying to see what we could getâ¦she unfairly was being blamed for the House adjourning when that was very much Speaker Johnson’s fault. And so there’s a point at which just politically how long could she take this fight on?
You gave birth 10 weeks ago, and have now travelled to Washington D.C. to vote four times. What has this experience been like for you?
The job requires working nearly every day. I gave myself two weeks off before I started fully engaging again with my team, but our offices were open and supporting our constituents, and I was quickly back to work. The question is about the physical and medical limitations when you’re close to your due date, being unable to fly and then while you’re recovering and also taking care of your newborn, who is the most vulnerable they’ll ever be in their life.
Itâs about making sure that you’re not putting people in a dangerous position and that you’re not being forced to make the choice that I did about whether or not I was going to fly across the country for a critical vote where my constituents’ lives were on the line, and their healthcare and well being. And then choosing between prioritizing the health of my newborn at home. So it was a terrible position to be in. I’m grateful that Sam’s okay. But it was very scary and upsetting.