Senate Bill Would Allow Remote Voting During Crisis

The Washington Post reports:

A bipartisan pair of senators on Friday introduced a resolution that would allow their chamber to do the House has been doing for months now: vote remotely during a national crisis, such as a pandemic.

Under the change proposed by Senate Majority Whip Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) and Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), remote voting could take place for up to 30 days if the Senate majority and minority leaders jointly determine a national crisis exists.

“We live in an age where national emergencies, public health crises, and terrorism can threaten the ordinary course of Senate business,” Durbin said in a statement. “We need to bring voting in the Senate into the 21st century.”

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Dem Whip Durbin/GOP OH Sen Portman re-introduce resolution to amend Senate rules to allow remote voting “during a national crisis.” Introduced similar proposal last yr when pandemic hit. Hse has remote voting. Senate does not

— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) April 30, 2021