Early House Recess Delays Hegseth Impeachment Vote

House Speaker Mike Johnson ended the House’s session a day early, sending lawmakers home for a seven-week campaign recess ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections and delaying a potentially politically damaging impeachment vote against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie’s privileged resolution accuses Hegseth of launching and continuing military actions in Iran without congressional authorization and suppressing dissent. Massie and House Democrats accused Republican leaders of evading a required vote, while Johnson denied that the schedule change was intended to block the measure, called it a publicity stunt and said it would be tabled when lawmakers return. The recess also delayed a bipartisan push to release more Jeffrey Epstein-related files and Democratic demands for action on artificial-intelligence risks. Before recessing, the House passed several bills, including a Russia sanctions measure targeting countries that buy Russian energy, while critics cited repeated cancellations and a sharply reduced legislative schedule.