The fate of Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s (R-FL) bill allowing new parents to vote remotely remains in limbo after Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) thanked President Donald Trump for letting him take the lead on the legislation less than a day after the president endorsed the measure.

In a post to X Friday, Johnson said that Trump told him, “Mike, you have my proxy on proxy voting.” This comes after Trump told reporters Thursday night he was in “favor” of Luna’s bill to allow new parents to designate a member to cast a vote for them for 12 weeks after pregnancy or due to medical complications from birth.

“America is grateful to have a President who appreciates and understands the complexity of legislative branch issues and governing with a razor-thin House majority,” Johnson said.

Despite Trump’s public backing of Luna’s effort, Johnson stuck to his concerns that proxy voting could apply to other circumstances — something Luna has adamantly pushed back against, noting her bill’s text is specifically for new parents.

“Democrats tried proxy voting before and it was terribly abused. We cannot open that Pandora’s box again,” the speaker added.

Where the House goes from here remains to be seen. Luna said on Thursday that Johnson called her after Trump’s endorsement, and they discussed limiting the bill to new mothers who “cannot physically travel in event of emergency etc.”

“This is smart,” Luna said. “Remember: only 13 [people have given birth while serving in Congress] in US history.”

Johnson did not mention the call in his statement nor note that he was open to a compromise. A source familiar with Trump’s thinking told the Washington Examiner that the president supports whatever decision the speaker adopts.

The Washington Examiner reached out to Luna and Johnson for comment.

The speaker issued a lengthy statement two days before Trump’s endorsement, digging in his heels against the proxy voting bill he believes is “unconstitutional.” He said he knows Luna and her supporters’ intentions are “pure,” but he “simply cannot support the change they seek.” He did say he would improve accommodations for new mothers to make congressional service “simpler” for them.

The battle over proxy voting stalled the House this week after nine Republicans joined all Democrats in voting down a procedural rule that included language to prevent Luna’s bill and similar legislation from coming to the floor for a vote.

Johnson blamed these Republicans for bringing the chamber to a standstill, and leadership canceled votes for the rest of the week to regroup over how to approach round two of the proxy voting fight.

But Luna blamed Johnson and leadership for the early recess, noting they could have brought the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act and the No Rogue Rulings Act to the floor at any time without tying in polarizing language to quash her bill.

“This should not have anything to do with the legislation being passed for the president,” Luna said Thursday. “I’ve told him this.”

Her bill has fractured the conference, surprisingly pitting hard-line conservatives against each other. Luna left the Freedom Caucus earlier this week after a group of caucus members threatened to hold up House floor proceedings if Johnson let the bill come to the floor. Accusing the group of waging “backroom deals” against her and blackmailing the speaker, Luna left the group after she said respect was “shattered.”

The Rules Committee is scheduled to meet on Monday to discuss the SAVE Act and No Rogue Rulings Act, with the expectation that language will be once again added to try to kill Luna’s bill. Hard-liners on the committee, such as Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), came out in full force against the legislation even after Trump’s endorsement.

“Proxy voting is unconstitutional — a fact as clear today as it was during COVID,” Roy said. “The Founders considered and rejected it, which is why I’ve never cast a vote by proxy or on behalf of someone else.”

“The people elected us to advance President Trump’s agenda to secure the border and cut spending, not waste time to change the House rules for our own convenience,” the Texas conservative added.

Luna and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who was ousted from the Freedom Caucus, sparred over proxy voting on X. Greene accused “poor Anna” of being used by Democrats to bring back remote voting so they can “accomplish their agenda.”

“And it’s incredibly naive to believe your Democrat friends that proxy voting will only be kept to maternity leave … Serving in Congress is a privilege, not a career choice. If you need a job with better perks like maternity leave then step down and allow someone else to serve in your place,” Greene said, sharing a screenshot of Luna’s post in 2024 criticizing federal employees working from home.

LUNA VICTORY ON NEW PARENT PROXY VOTING SETS UP BIGGER GOP STANDOFF NEXT WEEK

Luna responded with a letter Greene sent in 2022 designating Rep. Barry Moore (R-AL) to serve as her proxy due to COVID-19, with the Florida congresswoman accusing the Georgia firebrand of voting remotely while “on vacation.”

“Federal workers are covered under FMLA but Congress is exempt. My resolution is to allow someone to continue to vote. So you’re intentionally misleading or just not informed,” Luna said.