WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. House may not gather in-person again for months because of the coronavirus.

In case you missed it last week: while the House passed the massive $3 trillion coronavirus stimulus package, they also approved what’s called “proxy voting.”

Starting this week, the House of Representatives will be able to cast votes off of Capitol Hill for the first time in the chamber’s 231-year history. The rule change passed along party lines Friday will work in two ways: the first, for remote committee hearings.

“That would satisfy a couple different things,” said Casey Burgat, Legislative Affairs Program Director and Assistant Professor at George Washington University. “One is a quorum requirement, which in the Constitution and House and Senate rules, you have to have a requirement of at least half the members showing up.”

This gives lawmakers the ability to work from home after the virus has virtually shut down the chamber since March.

New York Republican Rep. Tom Reed feels this could have shined a light on the $3 trillion HEROES Act, which never went through committee hearings before it passed Friday night.

“Especially in developing the legislation because all of this stuff is happening behind closed doors,” Reed said of the HEROES Act, “and I think there needs to be more transparency for the American people to see.”

But the second way is more controversial: what’s called “proxy voting.” The way proxy voting works is like this: let’s say one lawmaker (myself, for example) has contracted the coronavirus, and I’m able to vote on a bill, but can’t be around my fellow lawmakers. I can now vote from home, and would designate another lawmaker who can be in Washington – let’s say that’s you – to vote on my behalf the way I would if I could be present in the chamber.

The rule changes last for just 45 days, and can be renewed if the pandemic persists.

For Hawaii Democrat Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, it’s a timesaver. Because of the pandemic, many flights have been canceled across the country because of the virus.

“From my door in Hawaii to my door in D.C., all-in-all it’s probably a 15-to-16-hour journey,” Gabbard said.

But Republicans see it as a power grab by the Democrats. One proxy can represent up to 10 members.

“The Speaker needs to stop trying to push forward a liberal, socialist agenda that she couldn’t otherwise get done rather than using this excuse,” said Rep. Fred Keller (R-Pa.).

The proxy voting rule change will expire at the end of this session of Congress.