Murphy Introduces Legislation to Strip Pay for House Members Who Vote by Proxy

Washington, D.C. – On Thursday, June 11, 2020 Congressman Greg Murphy, M.D. (NC-03) introduced H.R. 7180, the Honor Your Oath Act. If passed, members of the House of Representatives who have participated in proxy voting would have their salaries reduced to $1 in the next Congress should they be reelected. The Constitution requires members to receive a salary, which is why the bill cannot take away all pay. The measure would also express the sense of Congress that any member who participates in proxy voting should either donate their salary to charity or return it to the Treasury for purposes of deficit reduction in the next Congress.

"The Constitution clearly states that a quorum must be present to pass legislation in the House of Representatives. Under proxy voting, as few as 20 members can be present to pass a bill, which is blatantly unconstitutional. If members want to ignore their constitutional duty to their constituents by staying at home rather than coming to work, then they should be paid accordingly," said Murphy.