With the House of Representatives at a standstill, Speaker Mike Johnson is refusing to fold on his strong opposition to allowing new parents in Congress to vote remotely. "I don't concede on something that I believe to be unconstitutional.

The Republican speaker, who has mostly wielded power by relying on the threat of retribution from President Trump, has chosen an institutional fight it’s not clear he can win.

S.C., said that 'as a woman and as a mom' she supports 'zero' proxy voting exceptions for new mothers in Congress. (Credit: Nicholas Ballasy)

Democratic Rep. Brittany Pettersen said the decision to bring her 9-week-old was "difficult" but illustrated the need to pass the petition.

On Tuesday, nine Republicans joined all Democrats in a 222–206 vote defeating Johnson's procedural rule, which would have blocked Luna from forcing action on the proxy voting proposal. Trump said he was "in favor" of allowing new parents in Congress to vote by proxy while speaking aboard Air Force One on Thursday.

House lawmakers who have newly born infants might gain the ability to choose a colleague to temporarily vote in their place after having a baby.

Alfonso, laid into the effort for proxy voting led by Florida Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna after the House tanked a procedural rule