Speaker Nancy Pelosi has called off a Thursday vote on whether to allow House members to cast votes by proxy and is instead forming a bipartisan group to review options for reopening the House during the coronavirus pandemic.
Pelosi announced the delay on a private call with Democratic House members, according to a Democratic leadership aide who was granted anonymity to discuss it.
The move came after some Republicans had strenuously objected to the change, saying Congress should be in Washington and voting in person despite the virus. House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy had asked Pelosi to work with Republicans on any changes to the rules.
McCarthy and Pelosi spoke Wednesday morning, according to the aide, and decided to form the bipartisan group. It will review the Democratic plan to allow voting by proxy so that lawmakers can cast votes for absent members. The group will also examine reopening the House, which has remained shuttered for the past month due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Members of the House will be still returning to Washington Thursday to approve a $483 billion coronavirus aid package.
Pelosi told Democrats that they will now also vote on the formation of a new select committee to keep tabs on how coronavirus funding is spent. Pelosi had announced that South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn, the No. 3 Democrat, will chair the committee, but the House must vote for the panel to be formed.
McCarthy wrote Pelosi a letter on Tuesday asking her to establish a clear, safe, and effective plan for reopening Congress and to include Republicans in the talks. He said it was time for Congress to get back to work because our constituents expect us to rise to the occasion."