On the recordFebruary 25, 2021
As you know, as a result of COVID-19 and our discussions with the Capitol physician, we have organized voting in a way that we have seven different segments at 5-minute intervals so that a limited number of Members will vote in every 5-minute segment. That is obviously designed to keep us as safe as possible, our staffs as safe as possible, so we get off the floor, and they have to be on the floor. This vote that we just had was about 1 hour and 5 minutes. Obviously, if you take seven segments at 5 minutes a segment, that is 35 minutes. We have added another 5 minutes for people who missed their segment, which would be 40 minutes. We are starting to average 20, 25, 30, 35 minutes beyond that 40 minutes. Therefore, I wanted to announce to every Member that I will be recommending that we close votes 45 minutes after they start. Bang. Now, I will tell my side--which probably has this responsibility more than the other side because we use proxies more than you do--that if you hold a proxy, not only do you have a responsibility to yourself to vote in a timely fashion, but if you miss the vote, acting in a fiduciary capacity for another Member who can't be here because of health-related issues, and you do not vote, that will not be a happy situation. So I want you to know, I am going to be talking to the Speaker--I have already talked to her--that 45 minutes after that first bell rings I want the gavel to come down.…
