Speaker Pelosi, it’s time to get back to work

2020 was a challenging year. No matter where you live or work, COVID-19 affected all of us in different ways. Some people lost their jobs, some lost their loved ones. Some continued their jobs from home, but working remotely is not an option for most Americans. We should all be grateful to those who go to work so we can have food, clothing, shelter, and the amenities of life that otherwise would not be possible.

As millions of Americans — including the Senate — went to work, House Democrats largely stayed home and sent proxies to vote in D.C. During a time when America needed strong leadership, our year in the House was defined by glitchy Zoom hearings, proxy voting, delayed markups, and a historical failure of engagement.

It’s a new year and a new Congress, and it’s time to get back to work.

For months, our top doctors and scientists have reassured us that when a vaccine became available, things would slowly return to normal. Thanks to the historic achievements of Operation Warp Speed, millions of Americans have already received the first dose of the vaccine, and millions more have been distributed across the country. Members of Congress were some of the first to receive access to the vaccine, and now it’s our responsibility to turn the lights back on at the Capitol and get on with the people’s business.

The House must lead by example. If we are willing to be first in line to demonstrate the vaccine’s effectiveness, we should be first in line to demonstrate a return to work. I led a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Jan. 2, asking her to cease proxy voting measures once and for all. Twenty-three of my Republican colleagues joined me in this request. This doesn’t mean we are careless or indifferent to people’s safety; on the contrary, we are simply following the science. Could there be any greater hypocrisy in today’s world if leaders urge Americans to take the vaccine, have an opportunity themselves to take the vaccine ahead of many exposed workers, and then continue to work remotely?

It’s impossible to effectively run a country from your basement. Now that vaccines are here, members and essential staff have access to them. Actions speak louder than words, and Democrat leadership must walk the talk. The House Rules package to be approved by majority vote at the beginning of the new Congress will speak volumes about Democrat priorities. Will they lead or cut the line for their shots and disappear?

Unfortunately, the odds for leadership are looking slim. In December 2020, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) released the legislative calendar for 2021. It contains only 101 days in D.C. The very word “congress” implies coming together to govern, but when we’re scheduled to be on the job for less than one-third of the year, the optimism for productivity quickly fades. This is what puts us in situations like we had this past Christmas, where leadership put an entire year’s worth of legislation off until the eleventh hour. It’s no way to run even a city council, and certainly not the most powerful country on the planet. We must put a stop to it.

So again I say, Speaker Pelosi, it’s time to get back to work. There’s no reason to delay a return to in-person dialogue and regular order in the halls of Congress. What could you possibly be waiting for?

Westerman represents the 4th District of Arkansas.