Congress figured out how to adapt during the pandemic. Proxy voting—aka remote voting—let lawmakers cast votes without being in D.C., all to keep things moving while protecting their health. But now, that flexibility is gone. And for pregnant or postpartum lawmakers, that’s a serious problem.
Take Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.), who’s about to have a baby. Airlines don’t let women fly late in pregnancy (for obvious reasons), so when her due date got close, she had no way to get to D.C. to vote. After the baby arrives, it’s more of the same: many new moms stay home for the first six weeks until their babies get key vaccinations. But current House rules don’t care. They force new moms to choose between their job and their baby’s health.
Related: Is better postpartum support possible in America? Yes—here’s what it looks like
Today marks the first day I am unable to fly to DC for votes due to travel restrictions ahead of my due date.
It shouldn’t be this way. Congress must pass my bipartisan resolution to allow Members who are new parents to vote remotely. pic.twitter.com/VyTcYpNhqS
— U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen (@RepPettersen) January 13, 2025
Here’s the frustrating part: Congress already proved it can make exceptions when it wants to. During COVID, remote voting worked just fine. So why not extend that same logic to pregnant and postpartum lawmakers?
The argument against proxy voting is that it’s “unfair” or gives people an advantage. But fairness isn’t about pretending everyone has the same circumstances. It’s about making the system work for all lawmakers, whether they’re recovering from childbirth, taking care of a newborn, or dealing with something else entirely.
Related: These under-the-radar-issues are all too common during postpartum recovery
The bigger issue? America’s political system wasn’t built with mothers in mind. From no paid parental leave to grueling travel schedules, the message to women has always been: make it work—or don’t bother. Refusing to allow remote voting for new moms is just another example of how the system shuts mothers out.
If we want more women in Congress—and the policies they champion—we have to make political life doable for moms. Remote voting isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s a practical, modern solution for lawmakers who shouldn’t have to choose between their baby and their job.
Congress adapted for a pandemic. It’s time they adapt for motherhood, too.
