[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 100 (Thursday, May 28, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E497]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PROXY VOTING LAWSUIT

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                            HON. JOE WILSON

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 28, 2020

  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, I was grateful to be 
added as a plaintiff in the important lawsuit challenging the 
constitutionality of proxy voting initiated by Republican Leader Kevin 
McCarthy, Whip Steve Scalise, and Conference Chair Liz Cheney. 
Congressman Morgan Griffith, a graduate of Washington and Lee 
University Law School, of Virginia presented the extraordinary legal 
arguments clearly documenting proxy voting as unconstitutional.
  Allowing Congress to vote remotely is simply irresponsible. Although 
we are currently in a crisis, this Wuhan Virus pandemic is no excuse to 
forget our Constitution which clearly says that we have to have a 
majority of Members present for a quorum to do business.
  If Congress was able to vote on the House Floor over these last few 
months without putting lives at risk, surely Members can conduct 
official business in a safe manner that follows guidelines from the 
Centers for Disease Control going forward. During the War of 1812, the 
Capitol Building itself was burned, but Congress members still met in 
Washington.
  The constitutionality of this new rule must be questioned. Our 
constitution says that we must have a majority to vote and yet this new 
rule would allow a few to vote for all, that is simply not right. Many 
Americans are getting back to work as we recover from this Wuhan Virus 
pandemic, Congress should be no different.

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