May 29, 2020
Washington, DC
The House of Representatives has now invoked proxy voting, to allow their Members to cast their votes without being present on the House floor. Many constitutional scholars believe this is unconstitutional. We agree, and emphatically oppose it.
We echo the sentiment outlined by Members of the House who have asked the Supreme Court to weigh in:
In the 231-year existence of the United States Congress, neither the House of Representatives nor the Senate has ever permitted a Member to vote by proxy from the floor of the chamber. Through the Civil War; through the burning of the Capitol during the War of 1812 and the terrorist attack on Washington on 9/11; and through the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 and the Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918, the Congress of the United States has never before flinched from its constitutional duty to assemble at the Nation’s Capital and conduct the People’s business in times of national peril and crisis. So it was for more than two centuries. Until now.
The constitutionality of proxy voting is dubious, given the Constitution’s repeated references to “meeting,” “assembling,” and “attendance.” But, perhaps more importantly, proxy voting violates the fundamental nature of our politics: the duty to bear witness to the changes, large and small, that collectively build the character of the country.
To that end, we urge the Senate to refuse to take up or enroll any legislation passed as a result of the House’s proxy voting measures. We urge the President to veto any legislation that reaches his desk by the same mechanism.
| The Honorable Edwin Meese III Attorney General President Ronald Reagan (1985-1988) |
Alfred S. Regnery Chairman, Conservative Action Project Chairman, Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund |
| Tom McClusky President March for Life Action |
Myron Ebell Director, Center for Energy and Environment Competitive Enterprise Institute |
| The Honorable Morton C. Blackwell President The Leadership Institute |
The Honorable Colin A. Hanna President Let Freedom Ring, Inc. |
| L. Brent Bozell, III Founder and President Media Research Center |
The Honorable J. Kenneth Blackwell Chairman Constitutional Congress, Inc. |
| The Honorable Jim DeMint Chairman, Conservative Partnership Institute Member, US Senate (SC 2005-2013) |
Ed Corrigan Vice Chairman, Conservative Action Project President, Conservative Partnership Institute |
| Rachel Bovard Senior Director of Policy Conservative Partnership Institute (CPI) |
The Honorable Bob McEwen U.S. House of Representatives Former Member, Ohio |
| Jenny Beth Martin Chairman Tea Party Patriots Citizen Fund |
Cleta Mitchell, Esq. Partner Foley & Lardner LLP |
| Kelly J. Shackelford, Esq. Chairman, CNP Action, Inc. President and CEO, First Liberty Institute |
Herman Pirchner, Jr. Founding President American Foreign Policy Council (AFPC) |
| The Honorable David McIntosh President Club for Growth |
Scott T. Parkinson VP for Government Affairs Club for Growth |
| The Honorable Matt Schlapp Chairman American Conservative Union (ACU) |
Thomas Fitton President Judicial Watch, Inc. |
| Noah Wall Vice President of Advocacy FreedomWorks |
Mary Vought Executive Director Senate Conservatives Fund |
| William L. Walton President Council for National Policy |
The Honorable Becky Norton Dunlop White House Advisor President Ronald Reagan (1981-1985) |
| The Honorable Donald Paul Hodel U.S. Secretary of Energy (1982-1985) U.S. Secretary of Interior (1985-1989) |
Penny Y. Nance President & CEO Concerned Women for America |
| The Honorable T. Kenneth Cribb, Jr. Chief Domestic Advisor President Ronald Reagan (1987-1988) |
The Honorable Tony Perkins President Family Research Council |
| Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin (Ret.) Executive Vice President Family Research Council |
Lisa B. Nelson |
| James C. Dobson, Ph.D. Founder & President Dr. James Dobson Family Institute |
Joseph R. Gregory CEO and President Gregory Mgt. Co. |
| The Honorable Tom DeLay Former Majority Leader U.S. House of Representatives |
Ron Robinson President Young America’s Foundation |
| Trent England Executive Director Save Our States |
The Honorable Gary L. Bauer President American Values |
| Grace-Marie Turner President Galen Institute |
Ambassador Henry F. Cooper President Reagan’s Defense and Space Negotiator Former SDI Director |
| Dr. Frank Wright CEO D. James Kennedy Ministries |
Anne Schlafly Cori Chairman Eagle Forum |
| Michelle Easton President Clare Boothe Luce Center for Conservative Women |
Steve Berger Pastor Grace Chapel |
| Joseph A. Morris Attorney / Partner at Morris & De La Rosa Former Assistant U.S. Attorney General (Reagan / Meese) |
The Honorable Scott Walker President-Elect Young America’s Foundation |
| Charlie Copeland President Intercollegiate Studies Institute |
Nancy Schulze Board Physicians for Reform |
| Rod D. Martin Founder & CEO The Martin Organization, Inc. |
Sherri R. Martin Executive Vice President The Martin Organization, Inc. |
| Haley E. Martin President The Martin Foundation |
Christina Murphy Lusk Campaign for the American Future |
| Guillermo J. Aragon Chief Financial Officer Martin Imaging, Inc. |
Benjamin Nieuwsma Founder and CEO Navigo |
| Shawn A. Mitchell Former National Chaplain National Federation of Republican Assemblies |
Eunie Smith President Eagle Forum |
| Craig Shirley Reagan Biographer Presidential Historian |
Kathleen Patten President & CEO American Target Advertising |
| Paavo Ensio Chairman Universal Minerals Group |
Dr. Richard Rounsavelle Trustee Media Research Center |
| C. Preston Noell III President Tradition, Family, Property, Inc. |
Amapola Hansberger President Legal Immigrants for America |
| Melissa Kaye Ortiz Admin/Blogger DCBelleonWheels.com |
Jim Martin Founder/Chairman 60 Plus Association |
| Twila Brase, RN, PHN President and Co-founder Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom |
Randy M. Long Founder Long Business Advisors, LLC |
| Robert D. Thompson Former Administrator The Weyrich Lunch (1999-2016) |
Dr. Paige Patterson President Sandy Creek Foundation |
| Saulius “Saul” Anuzis President 60 Plus Association |
The Honorable Mike Hill Representative Florida State House |
| Dr. Virginia Armstrong National Court Watch Chairman Eagle Forum |
Willes K Lee President National Federation of Republican Assemblies |
| J. Christian Adams President Public Interest Legal Foundation |
Eric Georgatos Executive Producer America Can We Talk? |
| Andresen Blom President Hawaiian Values |
Darrell Henry Executive Director Western Caucus Foundation |
| Rob Gluskin Managing Partner Gluskin Investment Partners |
Richard Norman Founder & President The Richard Norman Company |
| Charlie Gerow Vice Chairman American Conservative Union |
Seton Motley President Less Government |
| William W. Pascoe, III Board Member Tea Party Patriots Action |
Elaine Donnelly President Center for Military Readiness |
| Marlin Sharp Field Director STAND Foundation, Inc. |
Sheryl Kaufman Board of Directors Americans for Limited Government |
| Chad Connelly President Faith Wins |
Kielle C. Horton President The Lindsey Foundation |
| Ed Martin President Phyllis Schlafly Eagles |
Floyd Brown Publisher The Western Journal |
| Rebekah Gantner Executive Director Eagle Forum Education & Legal Defense Fund |
Kent Glesener President Paradigm Construction & Engineering Inc |
| The Honorable George K. Rasley Jr. Managing Editor ConservativeHQ.com |
Richard Manning President Americans for Limited Government |
| Martha Boneta President Vote America First |
Khadine Ritter President Eagle Forum of Ohio |
| E.C. Sykes General Partner Aslan Ventures |
Jack Park Conservative Activist and Donor Law Offices of Jack Park |
| The Honorable Peter Thomas Chairman The Conservative Caucus |
Mario Navarro da Costa Director, Washington Bureau Tradition, Family, Property |
| Richard D. Hayes Partner Hayes Berry White & Vanzant LLP |
Tim LeFever Chairman Capitol Resource Institute |
| Joan Holt Lindsey President Lindsey Communications |
Lori Roman President American Constitutional Rights Union |
| Michael J. Horowitz CEO 21st Century Initiatives |
Lee Beaman CEO Beaman Automotive Group |
| The Honorable Terrence Scanlon Commissioner, Chairman (1985-89) U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission |
Reverend Gregory Quinlan Founder & Executive Director Center for Garden State Families |
| Jay Mount President MDS Communications |
Dr. Rick Scarborough President Recover America Now |
| Susan A. Carleson Chairman/CEO Carleson Center for Welfare Reform |
William Shaker CEO Washington Marketing Group |
| Robert Fischer Meeting Coordinator Conservatives of Faith |
Kevin Freeman Founder NSIC Institute |
| Tom DeWeese President American Policy Center |
Roxanne Phillips Member, Executive Committee Council for National Policy |
| Randall S. Page Chief of Staff Bob Jones University |
Penna Dexter Co-host Point of View Radio |
| Gerard Kassar State Chairman NYS Conservative Party |
Allen Hebert Chairman American-Chinese Fellowship of Houston |
| Ron Pearson Executive Director Conservative Victory Fund |
Ralph A. Rebandt II Lead Pastor Oakland Hills Community Church |
| Tom Schatz President Citizens Against Government Waste |
Dr. Richard Lee President There’s Hope America |
| Dr. Jerome R. Corsi, Ph.D. Founder and CEO CorsiNation.com |
All organizations listed for IDENTIFICATION purposes only.
