Millions_CRD of_PRF American_AJ0 workers_NN2 have_VHB returned_VVN to_PRP the_AT0 office_NN1 ,_PUN and_CJC most_DT0 children_NN2 are_VBB back_AVP to_PRP in-person_AJ0 learning_NN1 at_PRP schools_NN2 ,_PUN but_CJC dozens_CRD of_PRF members_NN2 of_PRF the_AT0 U.S._NP0 House_NN1 of_PRF Representatives_NN2 are_VBB still_AV0 literally_AV0 phoning_VVG in_PRP their_DPS votes_NN2 to_PRP Washington_NP0 ,_PUN citing_VVG an_AT0 "_PUQ ongoing_AJ0 public_AJ0 health_NN1 emergency_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ At_PRP the_AT0 height_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 COVID-19_AJ0 pandemic_AJ0 last_ORD year_NN1 ,_PUN House_NN1 Democrats_NN2 took_VVD the_AT0 unprecedented_AJ0 step_NN1 to_TO0 establish_VVI rules_NN2 allowing_VVG any_DT0 lawmaker_NN1 to_TO0 vote_VVI by_PRP proxy_NN1 if_CJS he_PNP or_CJC she_PNP could_VM0 not_XX0 attend_VVI proceedings_NN2 in-person_AJ0 because_CJS of_PRF the_AT0 pandemic_AJ0 ._SENT As_CJS the_AT0 virus_NN1 recedes_VVZ and_CJC most_DT0 members_NN2 of_PRF Congress_NN1 are_VBB vaccinated_VVN ,_PUN critics_NN2 say_VVB some_DT0 members_NN2 of_PRF Congress_NN1 are_VBB abusing_VVG a_AT0 public_AJ0 health_NN1 policy_NN1 for_PRP personal_AJ0 convenience_NN1 ,_PUN politics_NN1 or_CJC other_AJ0 family_NN1 matters_NN2 ._SENT A_AT0 total_NN1 of_PRF 103_CRD U.S._NP0 Representatives_NN2 had_VHD active_AJ0 proxy_NN1 letters_NN2 filed_VVN with_PRP the_AT0 House_NN1 Clerk_NN1 as_CJS of_PRF publication_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ We_PNP do_VDB want_VVI members_NN2 to_TO0 take_VVI seriously_AV0 their_DPS responsibilities_NN2 to_TO0 participate_VVI in_PRP a_AT0 legislative_AJ0 process_NN1 ,_PUN to_TO0 cast_VVI votes_NN2 on_PRP the_AT0 floor_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 House_NN1 ,_PUN "_PUQ said_VVD Molly_NP0 E_NP0 ._SENT Reynolds_NP0 ,_PUN a_AT0 Brookings_NP0 Institution_NN1 senior_AJ0 fellow_NN1 and_CJC expert_NN1 on_PRP how_AVQ Congress_NN1 functions_NN2 ._SENT "_PUQ Figuring_VVG out_AVP how_AVQ to_TO0 prevent_VVI abuse_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 practice_NN1 while_CJS also_AV0 making_VVG it_PNP available_AJ0 for_PRP people_NN0 who_PNQ need_VVB it_PNP is_VBZ a_AT0 real_AJ0 challenge_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ Each_DT0 time_NN1 a_AT0 proxy_NN1 is_VBZ used_VVN ,_PUN a_AT0 member_NN1 of_PRF Congress_NN1 must_VM0 attest_VVI in_PRP writing_VVG to_PRP the_AT0 House_NN1 Clerk_NN1 that_CJT they_PNP are_VBB "_PUQ unable_AJ0 to_TO0 physically_AV0 attend_VVI proceedings_NN2 "_PUQ for_PRP health_NN1 or_CJC safety_NN1 reasons_NN2 related_VVN to_PRP COVID-19_NN1 ._SENT Enforcement_NN1 is_VBZ by_PRP the_AT0 honor_NN1 system_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ They_PNP do_VDB n't_XX0 want_VVI to_TO0 come_VVI in_PRP unless_CJS they_PNP are_VBB vaccinated_VVN and_CJC unless_CJS others_NN2 are_VBB vaccinated_VVN ,_PUN "_PUQ House_NN1 Speaker_NP0 Nancy_NP0 Pelosi_NP0 explained_VVD in_PRP March_NP0 ._SENT At_PRP least_AV0 343_CRD representatives_NN2 --_NN1 Democrats_NN2 and_CJC Republicans_NN2 --_NN1 have_VHB filed_VVN a_AT0 notice_NN1 to_TO0 vote_VVI remotely_AV0 at_PRP least_AV0 once_AV0 this_DT0 year_NN1 ,_PUN according_VVG to_PRP data_NN0 compiled_VVN by_PRP Reynolds_NP0 ._SENT The_AT0 U.S._NP0 Senate_NN1 did_VDD not_XX0 enact_VVI a_AT0 proxy_NN1 system_NN1 during_PRP the_AT0 pandemic_AJ0 ._SENT ​_NN1 During_PRP Friday_NP0 's_POS major_AJ0 vote_NN1 on_PRP Democrats_NN2 '_POS sweeping_AJ0 $_NN0 1.75_CRD trillion_CRD Build_VVB Back_AVP Better_AJC plan_NN1 ,_PUN 98_CRD lawmakers_NN2 who_PNQ voted_VVD did_VDD n't_XX0 show_VVI up_AVP in_PRP person_NN1 ,_PUN a_AT0 review_NN1 of_PRF voting_NN1 records_NN2 found_VVD ._SENT "_PUQ Graph_VVB the_AT0 number_NN1 of_PRF proxies_NN2 ,_PUN and_CJC look_VVB at_PRP how_AVQ they_PNP increase_VVB exponentially_AV0 on_PRP Fridays_NN2 ,_PUN "_PUQ said_VVD Rep._NN1 Mike_NP0 Gallagher_NP0 ,_PUN R-Wisc_NP0 ._SENT ,_PUN one_CRD of_PRF the_AT0 most_AV0 outspoken_AJ0 critics_NN2 of_PRF proxy_NN1 voting_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ It_PNP 's_VBZ incentivizing_VVG the_AT0 worst_AJS behavior_NN1 among_PRP members_NN2 ,_PUN which_DTQ is_VBZ to_TO0 say_VVI prioritizing_AJ0 fundraising_NN1 and_CJC deprioritizing_NN1 legislating_VVG ._SENT "_PUQ Nearly_AV0 all_DT0 House_NN1 Republicans_NN2 opposed_AJ0 proxy_NN1 voting_NN1 when_CJS it_PNP began_VVD last_ORD year_NN1 ,_PUN but_CJC some_DT0 have_VHB since_AV0 taken_VVN advantage_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 flexibility_NN1 ._SENT 
