House Adjourns for Extended Recess After Only Seven Workdays
GOP leadership cancels final day of session to avoid impeachment vote and address AI concerns.
The House of Representatives is adjourning for an extended recess, canceling planned votes for Thursday after completing only seven workdays since returning from their summer break. This early departure means Republican leadership will sidestep a vote on articles of impeachment against Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and will not directly address Democratic calls to confront issues surrounding artificial intelligence.
House Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed the schedule change, stating simply, “We’re going to modify the House schedule by a day.” This decision comes after the chamber had already canceled two weeks of session previously scheduled for the remainder of September. Lawmakers are now not expected to return to Washington until after the November midterm elections, allowing them additional time to campaign in their respective districts.
The GOP leadership's plan was disrupted by Rep. Thomas Massie, a libertarian-leaning Republican, who introduced eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth on Tuesday. Massie filed the articles as privileged, a procedural move that typically requires a vote within two legislative days. By canceling Thursday's session, the requirement is deferred until the House reconvenes in November.
In contrast, the Senate is currently scheduled to remain in session until early October.