House to leave early, punting Hegseth impeachment vote until after November elections, tell me about this news in (https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-leave-early-punting-hegseth-impeachment-vote-november-elections-rcna598147)
16-09-2026
House Speaker Mike Johnson canceled scheduled votes and sent the chamber into an early recess, effectively cutting the workweek short to prevent a floor vote on impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ahead of the November midterm elections.
The political scramble began when outgoing Republican Representative Thomas Massie used a privileged resolution to force expedited consideration of eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth. Massie’s resolution accused the defense secretary of violating the War Powers Resolution concerning the conflict with Iran, exceeding statutory authorization limits, and committing other military and administrative abuses.
Because the measure was privileged, it bypassed standard party leadership blockades and forced the House to confront the issue within a short window. By sending lawmakers home early for the campaign season, Republican leadership successfully sidestepped the immediate, high-stakes vote that would have put vulnerable members on the record regarding the controversial Cabinet official just weeks before the elections.