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House conservative defies Johnson over remote voting for new moms in Congress

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GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna tried to convince Speaker Mike Johnson to back her push to allow new mothers to vote remotely for six weeks while they are recovering from birth.

She and a very pregnant Democratic Rep. Brittany Pettersen plan to soon force the measure to the floor using a discharge petition, which is a highly unusual step for a member to take against their own leadership.

Luna calls that a “cop-out response to every single constituent that sent us to Washington DC .”.

GOP Rep. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey is leading a push to give lawmakers limited access to remote voting during true emergencies.

Van Drew said it’s a necessary step for Congress after watching some of his colleagues be forced to decide between attending a funeral or being with a sick family member or missing a big vote.

Supporters are aiming to get about 10 Republicans on the discharge petition to ensure it has a buffer for passage.