Luna and a handful of Republicans, along with all House Democrats, signed a discharge position to force Johnson to bring her resolution to the floor. Under House rules, if a discharge petition receives 218 signatures, the resolution must receive a vote within two legislative days.

Johnson included a provision to sideline Luna’s resolution in an unrelated rule, which if passed would have advanced the week’s legislation to the House floor for votes. But eight Republicans – notably, no women – voted with Luna and Democrats to kill the rule, keeping Luna’s resolution on track to be forced to the floor.

The overwhelming majority of Republicans, including Johnson, argue proxy voting is unconstitutional – the Constitution requires that a quorum, defined as a majority of House members, be present on the House floor while transacting business. The argument allowing unconstitutional proxy voting for parents inevitably would lead to an expansion of the practice.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) used the pandemic as a pretext to allow widespread proxy voting in 2020, turning the historically chaotic Capitol into a sleepy, empty building where, Republicans argue, Pelosi operated with almost unchecked power.

Johnson called Trump Thursday afternoon after the President’s comments to reiterate his opposition.