\n<\/p>\n
United States District Judge James Wesley Hendrix of the Northern District of Texas said the House of Representatives improperly passed a $1.7 trillion spending bill.<\/p>\n
The passage lacked a quorum, the judge ruled.<\/p>\n
At the time of the bill\u2019s December 2022 passage, Democrats allowed proxy voting for the legislation, meaning that a quorum was not physically present.<\/p>\n
Representative Chip Roy (R-TX) condemned the proxy votes, saying, \u201cThe American people deserve us to be here over Christmas, actually fighting for them, instead of trying to catch planes, while half this body are going to vote by proxy. Half this body\u2019s not even going to be here and they\u2019re lying. They\u2019re lying on forms saying they\u2019re voting by proxy for COVID, and it\u2019s a lie. And half this body\u2019s going to do it. You know it, and it\u2019s destroying this country.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n“Everything the American people is watching right now is a complete SHAM, it’s a FRAUD\u2026The American people deserve us to be here over Christmas actually FIGHTING for them!”<\/p>\n
“What you see here on the floor of the House of Representatives should make everybody ASHAMED!”<\/p>\n
\u2b07\ufe0f\u2b07\ufe0f\u2b07\ufe0f pic.twitter.com\/N7jsSQVN5P<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 Rep. Chip Roy Press Office (@RepChipRoy) December 23, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\u201cBased on the Quorum Clause\u2019s text, original public meaning, and historical practice, the Court concludes that the Quorum Clause bars the creation of a quorum by including non-present members participating by proxy,\u201d Hendrix wrote in his opinion<\/a>. \u201cSupreme Court precedent has long held that the Quorum Clause requires presence, and the Clause\u2019s text distinguishes those absent members from the quorum and provides a mechanism for obtaining a physical quorum by compelling absent members to attend. This power to compel attendance makes little sense divorced from physical presence.\u201d<\/p>\n
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton celebrated the victory in a press release, stating<\/a>, \u201cCongress acted egregiously by passing the largest spending bill in U.S. history with fewer than half the members of the House bothering to do their jobs, show up, and vote in person.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFormer Speaker Nancy Pelosi abused proxy voting under the pretext of COVID-19 to pass this law, then Biden signed it, knowing they violated the Constitution. This was a stunning violation of the rule of law. I am relieved the Court upheld the Constitution.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\ud83d\udea8 HUGE WIN: We Just Secured A Win On The Case Chal\u00adleng\u00ading $1.7 Trillion Fed\u00ader\u00adal Fund\u00ading Bill Passed Uncon\u00adsti\u00adtu\u00adtion\u00adal\u00adly With Less Than Half of U.S. Con\u00adgress Phys\u00adi\u00adcal\u00adly Present Congress acted egregiously by passing the largest spending bill in U.S. history with fewer\u2026 https:\/\/t.co\/5GiKsg9S2C<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) February 27, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The state of Texas specifically sought to block two provisions in the unconstitutionally-passed bill.<\/p>\n
One of the provisions<\/a> requiring pregnant women in the workplace to receive \u201creasonable accommodations\u201d was blocked. Another provision funding a program providing \u201ccase management and other services to noncitizens during immigration removal proceedings,\u201d as Fox News reported<\/a>, was not blocked.<\/p>\n
Judge Hendrix noted the ruling had a \u201climited\u201d scope.<\/p>\n
\u201c[N]either the enrolled bill doctrine nor the political question doctrine prohibit the Court from resolving the central challenge of this case\u2014whether Congress\u2019s novel proxy rule that counted members who were not physically present at the time of the vote toward the quorum violates the Quorum Clause,\u201d the judge wrote. \u201cThe enrolled bill doctrine has limited applicability where constitutional provisions are at issue.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n