Pelosi extends proxy voting for Congress until October 1

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will allow members to continue voting by proxy through at least October 1.

The practice was set to expire on Aug. 17, after previously being extended. The remote voting system has been in place since late May 2020, when the House first set up rules that would allow members to participate remotely not just in voting, but in committee meetings and hearings. 

Earlier this summer, COVID-19 restrictions that had been temporarily lifted were reinstated. 

When proxy voting was first introduced, Democrats stipulated that it would be allowed for only 45 days at time, but several extensions of the rule by the Speaker have rendered that parameter close to meaningless. 

Though a vast majority of Republicans initially opposed the congressional "work from home" policy, many have since gotten used to it and begun voting by proxy, which required filing a letter with the House clerk stating they cannot attend floor proceedings. Many Republicans and Democrats have embraced the fact that they are technically no longer required to report to Washington and are spending more time in their home districts gearing up for the 2022 cycle.