Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, right, and Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt talk to reporters April 26, 2022, in Washington, D.C. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which was enacted in December 2022, requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers.
In his ruling, Hendrix noted that his injunction is only applicable to state government employees.
Paxton filed a lawsuit last year, arguing the federal spending package was unconstitutionally passed because over half of the House of Representatives were not physically present to provide a quorum, yet they still voted by proxy.
Members of the Supreme Court (L-R): associate justices Amy Coney Barrett, Neil M. Gorsuch, Sonia Sotomayor and Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., and associate justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Samuel A. Alito, Jr., Elena Kagan and Brett M. Kavanaugh pose in the justices' conference room prior to the formal investiture ceremony of Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson Sept. 30, 2022, in Washington, D.C. (Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States via Getty Images)
"Supreme Court precedent has long held that the Quorum Clause requires presence, and the Clause’s text distinguishes those absent members from the quorum and provides a mechanism for obtaining a physical quorum by compelling absent members to attend," he wrote.
Paxton said Congress acted "egregiously" when it passed the $1.7 trillion funding bill.
"Congress acted egregiously by passing the largest spending bill in U.S. history with fewer than half the members of the House bothering to do their jobs, show up, and vote in person," Paxton said. "Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi abused proxy voting under the pretext of COVID-19 to pass this law, then Biden signed it, knowing they violated the Constitution. This was a stunning violation of the rule of law. I am relieved the Court upheld the Constitution."
The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.
Reuters reported that Texas Public Policy Foundation lawyer Matthew Miller said the ruling "correctly" concluded a physical quorum was required to vote.
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Hendrix also found in his ruling that Texas did not have standing to challenge $20 million appropriated in the bill to fund a pilot program providing case management and other services to noncitizens during immigration removal proceedings.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.
Story tips and can be sent to Greg.Wehner@Fox.com and on Twitter @GregWehner.
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