Senators in D.C. Vote to Allow Babies on Senate Floor
Senators voted on Wednesday, April 18, 2018 to allow infants at the age of one or below onto the senate floor. They were added to a list of people who are allowed to step foot onto the floor of the chamber. This includes the President, Vice President, the Mayor of Washington, Congress members and their staff.
Senator Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., became the first senator to give birth while holding office. She gave birth April ninth to a girl. She asked for the issue to be allowed, and the Senate took time to vote on it.
There are practical reasons as to why the issue was requested. The Senate sometimes votes late at night and takes 15-minute voting sessions. These can be back to back, usually taking an hour or more. A newborn needs to be fed on their demand, or every one to three hours.
In the 1800’s, senators would complain that people were disrupting their debates. People would use the floor as an exclusive club to lounge and have discussions not related to debates. The senators came to a conclusion that only a small number of people could enter the chamber. The list has grown over the years, but remains a small one. Originally, the list was designed to not slow down debate, but according to Sen. Lankford, R-OK, “We’re trying to actually start debate at all here.”
Senator Duckworth’s aide said in an interview with NBC News it’s all about the principle. Women are underrepresented in the Senate, even though there is a record 23 women serving. This can help men notice the struggles of a mother in office, even though the concept is still new. Duckworth’s fellow Democrat from Illinois, Dick Durbin says, “I think it would do us good, every once in a while, to see a pacifier next to the antique inkwells on our desks, or a diaper bag next to a brass spittoon that hasn’t been used in decades.”
The Senate says the infants in the near future will not have to adhere to the dress code. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn says they can “get that baby on with no identification and trust the mother.”
