House Rules Cmte meets today at 5pm in 1100 Longworth, the Ways & Means Cmte large hearing room, on a resolution “authorizing remote voting by proxy in the House and providing for official remote cmte proceedings during a designated pandemic emergency.” https://rules.house.gov/sites/democrats.rules.house.gov/files/BILLS-116hresPIH-remote.pdf

Resolution also authorizes a House study of the feasibility of using technology & security to facilitate remote participation of members in the House who are unable to physically attend the proceedings of the House due to extraordinary circumstances such as a pandemic emergency.

ThIs hearing room being used today Is one of the biggest rooms on Capitol Hill. It was used as the House chamber when Congress revamped the actual House chamber in US Capitol in 1940s. It was recently used by House Judiciary & Intel Cmte’s for their impeachment inquiry hearings.

The rule and resolution allowing for House proxy voting will be considered and voted on by the House on Thursday as well as the Senate-passed $484B COVID-19 relief bill.

The House proxy voting resolution is authored by House Rules Cmte Chair Jim McGovern (D-MA).

For today’s hearing, the Office of the Attending Physician recommends all individuals maintain 6-ft social distance spacing as much as practicable when in the Capitol Complex. The OAP also recommends the use of a face covering by attendees of this proceeding, including witnesses.

McGovern: "The head of the World Health Organization said this week that the worst impacts of coronavirus are yet to come. This pandemic is already the biggest public health and economic emergency our country has faced in a century. No community has been spared."

McGovern:"As conversations continued about possible rule changes to ensure the House continues its business during this pandemic,it became clear we need to take a more comprehensive approach.Some of the hardest-hit communities are seeing signs of progress. I hope that continues."

McGovern: "As we hope for the best, however, we must prepare for the worst. Experts are warning that we could see a second surge of coronavirus cases in the coming months. Should more lockdowns come quickly, I don’t want us to look back then and wish we made changes now."

McGovern: "We cannot risk Congress grinding to a halt because of this virus. We need to act."

McGovern:"That’s why this resolution implements not only remote voting by proxy for measures responding to the pandemic,but also enables virtual cmte proceedings & tasks the House Admin Cmte w/leading a study examining the feasibility of remote participation on the House Floor."

McGovern concludes: "I don’t suggest these changes lightly, but this is an extraordinary time. We need to ensure we can get our work done on behalf of the American people.”

House Rules Cmte majority staff's "Common Questions About Remote Voting By Proxy"
https://rules.house.gov/sites/democrats.rules.house.gov/files/Common_Questions_About_Remote_Voting_by_Proxy.pdf

Q: How will Members select a proxy?

A: It will be up to a Member to determine who their proxy would be and how they would like the proxy to vote.

Q: Can a Member revoke or change their proxy?

A: Yes. Members can revoke their proxy with a subsequent letter to the Clerk or by simply showing up to vote, and can change their proxy with a letter to the Clerk.

Q: With remote voting by proxy, would a quorum of Members need to be present in the Chamber for the vote?

A: Members voting by proxy would count toward a quorum.

Q: How will votes appear if a Member votes remotely by proxy?

A: Votes would appear as normal in the vote tally, and a list of Members who took those votes by proxy will appear following the list of yeas and nays in the Congressional Record.

House Rules Top Republican Tom Cole on House proxy voting resolution: "While we are living in uncertain times, this is not the first time in history that Congress has navigated extraordinary circumstances and also preserved longstanding traditions of the institution."

Cole: "Indeed, for more than 230 years and even in such crises as the Civil War and the 1918 influenza pandemic, the U.S. House of Representatives has managed to function and never once turned to proxy or remote voting to do so."

Cole:"To be sure, there are appropriate precautions and adaptations we can and should follow. But I believe we already have existing tools to continue the people’s work without introducing brand-new, constitutionally untested processes that risk erosion of our normal practice."

Cole concludes: "For even a temporary measure to deal with a crisis today becomes the precedent we follow tomorrow.”