George P. Radanovich: “Although every vote in the whole House is always important, votes in committee carry even greater proportionate weight.…”

“Although every vote in the whole House is always important, votes in committee carry even greater proportionate weight. As such, committee votes should be cast by Members themselves, not by committee colleagues. Yet Capitol Hill practice in the past has been to allow proxy votes in committees. This has meant one Member was voting not just for himself but for absentees. Proxy holders, often the committee leadership, would vote for other Members who were elsewhere, possibly at another committee meeting voting the proxies of still more absent Members. Enough already. Let the Member who votes in committee be in committee. The American way is one person, one vote. Votes in congressional committees no longer should be by proxy, they should be in person. That is what will happen as soon as tomorrow. All it takes is approval of this proposal to change our rules. Let the reform go on as we keep faith with our promise in the Contract with America to change the way Congress does business. The American people will be the winners.”