US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he supported allowing new parents in Congress to vote by proxy, a move opposed by the Republican House Speaker.
“I don’t know why it’s controversial,” Trump told reporters on board Air Force One.
“I’m going to let the Speaker make the decision but I like the idea of being able to, if you’re having a baby… I think you should be able to call in and vote,” he said.
The president said he had spoken to Republican Congresswoman for Florida Anna Paulina Luna, who is pushing for lawmakers to have the choice to vote on legislation by proxy if they have a newborn under 12 weeks old.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has firmly opposed the move, branding it “unconstitutional.”
However, Luna suggested that a compromise could be on the cards following Trump’s endorsement.
“@SpeakerJohnson called me after President Trump’s statement of support, and we discussed limiting the vote to just new moms who cannot travel because of health concerns. This is smart,” she posted on social media platform X.
