House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) announced during a press conference Thursday he will end proxy voting in the House of Representatives when the Republicans are in the majority.
When asked during a press conference about returning to normal if the Republicans retake the majority, and if he will allow proxy voting to continue when he is the speaker, McCarthy said, “There’s four things we need to do: get Americans back to work, back to school, back to health, and back to normal.” McCarthy believes the best way to get the country back to normal is “leading by example.”
“The first place you should lead it is in this House of Representatives,” he said, adding, over “75 percent of this body has been vaccinated.” He also spoke about several House members who have not gotten vaccinated, but came down with coronavirus.
He claimed that the rules of the House of Representatives do not make any sense under House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). McCarthy said, “if you go into the Senate, you do not have to wear a mask.”
McCarthy claimed that the impeachment managers did not have to wear a mask in the Senate when they were trying to impeach former President Donald Trump. “I don’t know the difference in science between the House and Senate. When you speak in the House, there’s nobody else around you. I’m not quite sure,” McCarthy said.
“I look forward to the day that when Congress changes, that you have to show up to work to be paid. That will be one of the first things I will do. We will not vote by proxy,” he said when talking about the Republicans retaking the House during the midterm elections. “The other thing that will be interesting to have happen is that bills actually go through committee. So voices that constituents around the world, around the country, lend their voice to their representative, they can actually be heard and have input on bills.”
A reporter asked whether he would support a continuation of the proxy voting currently going on. The reporter mentioned that proxy voting is allowed and will expire in May.
“No. I didn’t support the creation of it,” McCarthy said bluntly.
“If we are essential through all the history of America, through war, through plagues, and others, even within the Civil War and the Capitol being burnt, we still showed up,” McCarthy said, adding, “I’ve watched congressional members be on a boat and vote. They’re with their family out on a boat. They’re still getting paid, and they zoom in for a vote.” Calling it “appalling.”
McCarthy said, “people should be here to work,” regardless of the party you are in.
The Republican Leader said that if there were to be one exception, it would be a member like Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX). Crenshaw, due to his recent surgery, is not allowed to fly and has to sit face down, McCarthy relayed.
“Because of his dedication to this nation, he was injured, and his eye is hurt,” he concluded.