Federal Judge Declares 2022 Congressional Spending Bill Unconstitutional

A federal judge in Texas ruled that the US House of Representatives violated the Constitution by using proxy voting to pass a major spending bill in late 2022, as it did not have enough representatives physically present for a vote. The ruling, in response to a lawsuit brought by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, blocks the enforcement of a provision in the funding bill and comes after the House ended its use of proxy voting when Republicans took the majority after the 2022 election. The Justice Department declined to comment, and if appealed, the case would be reviewed by the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals.