The House Rules Committee held a Member Day hearing Thursday, allowing the rank-and-file to propose changes to how the chamber conducts its business — and in one case, to make a personal announcement.
“I have a current vested interest,” Rep. Brittany Pettersen, D-Colo., said as she advocated for allowing members to vote by proxy while taking parental leave. “I’m 20 weeks pregnant.”
“Since the establishment of Congress in 1789, there have been more than 12,500 members to serve in this body. Just 12 of those members are women who have given birth during their term,” said Pettersen, who became the first Colorado state senator to give birth while in office in 2020. “The current prohibition on proxy voting forces pregnant members and members who have recently welcomed a child to choose between taking care of their newborn or representing their constituents.”
