Florida Republican Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna is accusing members of her own party’s leadership of using bribes and backroom deals in an attempt to derail her bipartisan push to allow proxy voting for new parents in the House of Representatives.
The accusations come as the Proxy Voting for New Parents Resolution — co-sponsored by Luna and a cross-party group of lawmakers — clears a significant hurdle toward a vote on the House floor.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Luna said she had received multiple offers of committee appointments she had previously been denied — attempts she characterized as efforts to buy her silence.
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“I’m not going to be bought,” Luna said. “I’ve now been reached out to multiple times, offering me positions on different committees, and I don’t want it because this is bigger than me. It’s about actually changing the institution for the better.”
Luna, 35, became one of just a dozen lawmakers to give birth while serving in Congress, and she’s been pushing to allow members to vote remotely for 12 weeks following the birth or adoption of a child.
The Proxy Voting for New Parents Resolution was introduced by Reps. Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), and Mike Lawler (R-NY). After Speaker Johnson blocked the resolution from moving forward, the lawmakers turned to a discharge petition, a rarely used legislative maneuver that allows a bill to bypass leadership and go straight to the floor for a vote.
The petition recently reached the required 218 signatures, setting the stage for a possible vote as early as next week.
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“The American people are desperate for change – and one of the best places to start is by who represents them in Washington,” said Rep. Jacobs. “That’s why I’m so proud that we’ve forced a vote on our bipartisan resolution to allow parental leave for Members of Congress. Once passed, this will be a green light for more young people, more parents, and more soon-to-be parents to serve in this institution and pave the way for more pro-family policies.”
“No Member of Congress should have to choose between caring for their newborn and representing their constituents,” added Rep. Pettersen. “While Speaker Johnson decided to not move forward with our resolution – despite bipartisan support – we refused to back down.”
Pettersen, who recently gave birth to her son Sam, noted, “He’s only 6 weeks old, but he got to be a part of changing hearts and minds and addressing a barrier that prevents regular people from serving in Congress.”
Luna echoed the sentiment: “We’re one step closer to ending that dilemma by allowing new and expecting mothers and fathers in Congress the option of voting by proxy,” she said. “We’ve received overwhelming support from a majority of the conference and have ensured that this legislation is in line with the Constitution.”
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), who cast the 218th signature on the petition, added his voice in support:
“As someone who’s had the blessing of being a parent twice, I’ve been personally affected during my time in Congress,” he said. “I am glad this bill will go to the House floor for a full vote, and I look forward to celebrating its passage.”
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Even as the bill advances, Luna says House Republican leaders and allies continue using coercive tactics to peel off support. She claims that Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN), one of the 11 Republicans who signed the petition, was offered floor votes on two of his bills if he agreed to reverse his position.
“Yeah, somebody said, ‘Well, if we got those bills on the floor, would you vote against Luna?’” Burchett told reporters. “I was like, voting against pregnant women — are you all crazy?”
Luna also claims that “front liner” Republicans — those representing swing districts — were threatened with a loss of fundraising support if they backed the measure.
Despite the alleged pressure, Luna remains optimistic. “I have Republican members coming up to me telling me that I am in the right,” Luna told reporters. “They will vote for this when it comes to the floor, and this should have been done a while ago.” She added that even a sitting U.S. senator privately told her, “This is the change the institution needs.”
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