House Republicans are preparing to move forward with two key bills championed by President Donald Trump this week, following a weekslong standoff over remote voting for new parents in Congress that was resolved by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla.
This week, the House is expected to vote on the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, introduced by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, which would require proof of citizenship for voter registration, and the No Rogue Rulings Act (NORRA) by Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., designed to limit district court judges from issuing orders that block Trump policies nationwide. Both bills were slated for a vote last week, but a procedural standoff halted regular business and delayed their consideration.
“Speaker Johnson and I have reached an agreement to bring back a procedure called live/dead pairing, which dates back to the 1800s. It will be open for the entire conference to use when unable to vote (e.g., new parents, bereaved, emergencies, etc.),” Luna wrote on X Sunday evening. “Thanks to [Trump] and his guidance, as well as all of those who worked to get this change done, this is becoming the most modern, pro-family Congress we’ve ever seen.” Johnson’s office later confirmed the deal, Fox News reported.
The compromise they reached draws on an old congressional custom that effectively cancels a new mother’s vote by pairing it with a vote from someone on the opposing side. Although neither vote would be counted, both positions would be recorded in the Congressional Record. Johnson’s office also confirmed that an agreement was reached to improve accessibility for young mothers in the Capitol.
Tuesday afternoon, the House floor came to a standstill when a small faction of GOP lawmakers thwarted leadership’s attempt to block a bill by Luna, which would have allowed new parents to vote by proxy for 12 weeks around the time of their child’s birth. Luna was preparing to force a vote on her legislation via a discharge petition—a process that enables lawmakers to bring a bill to the floor if they secure signatures from a majority of the chamber.
Johnson, who deems proxy voting unconstitutional, attached provisions aimed at nullifying discharge petitions to an unrelated measure scheduled for a vote that afternoon. Had it passed, this move would have paved the way for the consideration—and likely passage—of both the NORRA Act and SAVE Act last week.
