Let’s be real: We love to say we’re living in the modern age, but when it comes to how we treat new mothers in Congress, we’re stuck in the 1950s. Case in point? Representative Brittany Pettersen brought her four-week-old newborn across the country because—despite just having given birth—she had to be physically present in Washington, D.C. to cast a vote.
And all of this? Totally preventable.
Welcome to the urgent case for proxy voting for parents in Congress. And this week, House Republicans are fighting against two new mom congresswomen—one Democrat, one Republican’s efforts to allow new parents the right to vote by proxy while recovering from birth.
“This place was not made for us.”
Rep. Brittany Pettersen, a Colorado mom of two (including that brand-new baby), has lived the challenge of legislating with a newborn firsthand—and she’s had it. “There are medical reasons when you’re pregnant and close to your term and you can’t fly for votes and up through giving birth and recovering and taking care of your newborn and 24/7 care,” she told Motherly in an interview this week. “We are perfectly capable of modernizing the way that we do things to account for situations like this. It’s unacceptable that we are so far behind the times.”
Unacceptable is an understatement. When Pettersen flew with her newborn son Sam for that vote, she did it not because she wanted to—but because there was no alternative. “I was devastated with the choice in front of me,” she said. “There was no way that I was not going to be here, but I was devastated… I could not leave my newborn baby for days.”
Related: Why pregnant lawmakers deserve remote voting
This, in a job that already requires being in two places at once—home with your kids and at the Capitol with your colleagues.
Why does this even matter?
Proxy voting is a practical solution to an outdated problem. It simply allows a representative to cast their vote without being physically present. Revolutionary? Hardly. Common sense? Completely.
Vote Mama founder Liuba Grechen Shirley put it plainly: “Our political system was designed by older, wealthy, white, land-owning men at a time when women couldn’t even vote. For moms, it’s even harder—votes are called at unpredictable times… No proxy voting means flying across the country right after giving birth to cast a vote.”
She’s not being hyperbolic. That’s the literal truth of how our democracy works—or doesn’t—for moms.
The rarest club in Washington
To date, only 13 voting women in the entire history of Congress have given birth while serving. Pettersen is the thirteenth.
Since America’s founding, hundreds of millions of women have given birth. Yet only 13 have been serving in Congress while doing it.
Why? Because the system was made to keep mothers out.
Representative Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla) was the twelfth. Now, she and Pettersen are working together across the aisle to fix it. “This is reflective of when we actually get to know each other… when we see each other as other human beings,” Pettersen said. “When we come together on issues… it’s about being moms and going through the rare experience of being pregnant and giving birth while in Congress.”
They know that proxy voting is just the beginning.
It’s not just about voting—it’s about changing who gets to lead
So what happens when more moms do make it to Congress?
“We can completely reshape the policies and priorities of the United States and actually meet the needs of families,” says Pettersen.
Liuba Grechen Shirley agrees: “Legislators legislate based on their lived experience. When moms lead, they prioritize investments in families, education, and the economy in ways that actually work for people.”
But without structural reforms, most moms won’t make it to the floor—literally.
Grechen Shirley outlines a few of the policies that would change that:
- Paid leave for legislators (yes, even Congress doesn’t have this!)
- On-site childcare and childcare reimbursements
- Changing tables and pumping rooms in government buildings
- Campaign funds for childcare
- And, of course, proxy voting
“These aren’t radical ideas—they’re significant, barrier-breaking reforms,” she says. “There are more millionaires in Congress than moms.”
Let that one sink in.
Who doesn’t want proxy voting for moms?
The usual suspects defending the status quo. “We’re hearing arguments about unconstitutionality. We’re hearing arguments like ‘show up for work or don’t run for Congress,’” Pettersen said. “It’s the same stuff we’ve heard as women for our existence… I can’t believe how many people say that women shouldn’t be in Congress.”
That’s not just sexism—it’s sabotage. Because when mothers are excluded from leadership, so are their priorities.
Moms deserve better—and so does democracy
The pandemic proved we can rethink work. It showed us that flexibility isn’t a luxury—it’s a lifeline. And yet here we are, still forcing women to choose between healing from childbirth and casting a vote that could impact millions of lives.
Pettersen’s advice? “Reach out to your members of Congress and ask them to support our resolution… Support other women who are running for office. Encourage other moms to step up and run. This is how we’re going to change things.”
It’s time to let moms vote—from wherever they need to be.
Related: Congress introduces massive bill to improve mothers’ health: ‘This crisis demands urgent attention’