House Speaker Kevin McCarthy made it clear this week that lawmakers need to bring their butts to work from now on! He’s requiring that members be present in person if they want their vote to count, tweeting “No more proxy voting. Effective immediately, Members of Congress have to show up to work if they want their vote to count.”

The decision was met with approval from several members of the House, including Rep. Ashley Hinson, who remarked that those unwilling or unable to attend should “look for another line of work” and emphasized the need for congressional presence in order to adequately address the issues facing Americans today.

Members of Congress who don’t want to show up and vote should look for another line of work. There are too many issues facing the American people for Congress to be phoning it in – I’m glad proxy voting has come to an end! https://t.co/DHvfAXOOHs

— Ashley Hinson (@RepAshleyHinson) January 19, 2023

Proxy voting was put in place by the Democrat majority in May 2020 as a response to the pandemic, allowing one member of Congress to cast a vote on behalf of an absent member. Yet, despite its initial purpose, the rule was quickly abused by some lawmakers who instead used it as an excuse for skipping out on important votes, citing ongoing pandemic-related restrictions while attending in-person campaign events, going on trips with the president, and even vacationing in Europe.

The rules package was adopted on a slim 220–213 margin and did not include a provision allowing proxy voting in the House due largely to McCarthy’s stance and involvement throughout the process. He had already enjoyed a successful week as Speaker prior to his reaffirmation of this position, cementing his commitment and dedication towards ensuring that lawmakers are present and active when making decisions about our nation’s future.

For many members of Congress, this is seen as an opportunity for representatives from across different states and districts to come together without fear or hesitation and make their voices heard through personal attendance rather than relying on a third-party intermediary or proxy. It’s time for them to start working for all that money.