Aug 13, 2021 - Politics & Policy

Pelosi extends proxy voting in the House until October

Jacob Knutson

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) speaking during a press conference on Aug. 6. — Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced in letter to members on Friday that she is extending proxy voting in the chamber until Oct. 1 in response to a surge in new coronavirus cases driven by the Delta variant.

Why it matters: Despite initial opposition and a lawsuit from House Republicans, remote voting is quickly becoming the norm. Some members have even pressured Pelosi to make the arrangement permanent.

Between the lines: The extension will allow lawmakers to spend more time in their districts throughout the fall when the House is expected to take up major pieces of legislation, including a bipartisan infrastructure deal, budget reconciliation resolution, annual spending package, and motion to increase the debt ceiling, Axios' Hans Nichols reports.

Go deeper: How much the House has voted remotely during COVID

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Pelosi extends proxy voting in the House until October

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