Judge Rules $1.7 Trillion Spending Bill Unconstitutional Due to Proxy Voting in House
• A federal judge ruled a $1.7 trillion spending bill passed by Congress was unconstitutional because House members voted by proxy rather than being physically present.
• The judge blocked enforcement of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, part of the spending bill, against state governments as employers.
• The proxy voting rule was adopted in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing House members to vote remotely.
• The judge said over 200 years of precedent requires a majority of House members to be physically present to meet the Constitution's quorum requirement.
• The Texas Attorney General who brought the lawsuit said Congress "egregiously" passed the huge spending bill with fewer than half of House members present to vote in person.