Torres Drafts Bill Requiring Lawmakers to Disclose Extended Voting Absences

According to Axios, Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) is drafting the “Duty of Transparency Act,” which would require members of Congress who miss votes for three weeks to file a disclosure statement with the House or Senate Ethics committee. The filing would state whether the lawmaker can perform official duties remotely, provide an expected length of absence and a designated office point of contact, and be posted publicly online within 48 hours; it would not require disclosure of a diagnosis or other medical details. Axios reported the proposal follows prolonged absences by Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-N.J.), who missed nearly four months of House votes before saying he had been hospitalized for depression, and Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who said he was hospitalized after a fall and developed a mild case of pneumonia. Under the draft, disclosures would generally be due within five days of knowing an absence will occur or within five days of reaching three weeks of missed votes, with updates at least every 30 days; failure to file would trigger the ethics process.