Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., criticized House Speaker Mike Johnson’s decision to cancel remaining votes and send lawmakers home until after the November midterms, arguing it leaves pressing issues unaddressed. Crow’s post on X responded to a post from journalist Joe Khalil.
Crow: “Congressional Republicans Are Doing NOTHING”
“Speaker Johnson just canceled votes — again. That means House Republicans won’t have votes for the next two months! No action to lower costs, fight corruption, or end the Iran war,” Crow wrote. “Congressional Republicans are doing NOTHING to make life easier for you.”
Cancellation Sidelined a Privileged Vote on Impeaching Hegseth
Among the votes Johnson canceled was floor action on a resolution Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., introduced two days earlier containing eight articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing him of “high crimes and misdemeanors” for unlawfully waging war against Iran, ignoring civilian-casualty mitigation laws, and his role in extrajudicial strikes on suspected drug smugglers. Because the resolution was privileged, House rules required a floor vote within two legislative days, meaning the cancellation had the practical effect of running out that clock before the House left Washington. Massie, who told CNN he did not inform Republican leadership in advance because he feared they would try to block him from introducing it, wrote on X after the cancellation: “And there it is. Just as I predicted. They’re canceling Congress tomorrow to avoid the vote on IMPEACHING @SecWar. It will also make it harder for us to reach 218 signatures on the Epstein Discharge Petition before the election. We were at 190+ signatures last night.”
Impeachment Push Followed the House’s Third Iran War Powers Vote
Massie introduced the impeachment articles the day after the House passed a war powers resolution, 220-204, directing Trump to end U.S. military involvement in Iran — the third such resolution the House has approved since the war began Feb. 28. Massie has argued that continuing the war without new congressional authorization, along with the administration’s broader conduct of the conflict, provides grounds for removing Hegseth from office.
Johnson Dismissed the Impeachment Effort as a “Publicity Stunt”
Johnson dismissed Massie’s impeachment effort as “a publicity stunt by someone who wants attention,” telling reporters, “It will immediately be tabled, of course. But we probably won’t do that today. We will do it when we come back,” and adding that “Secretary Hegseth has done an extraordinary job at the Department of War.” Johnson said the broader schedule cancellation was not related to the impeachment vote, though he did not offer a detailed alternative explanation beyond citing the campaign calendar. Massie argued from the House floor that the vote “would have been real easy” and that “we shouldn’t be cancelling Congress because of the optics.”
House Had Separately Tabled a Different Impeachment Effort Against Trump Days Earlier
On the Tuesday before the cancellation, the House had tabled a separate impeachment attempt from Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, targeting Trump over the administration’s immigration enforcement actions, using the same procedural motion Johnson said would apply to Massie’s Hegseth resolution.
Johnson Canceled Thursday Votes, Sending Members Home for Seven Weeks
Johnson told reporters Sept. 16 that he was canceling the House’s final scheduled votes before adjourning, sending lawmakers into a recess that will last until Nov. 9, six days after the midterm elections. “The House has done its work,” Johnson said, adding it was “time for our members to go home to their districts and make their case to the American people.” The move followed an earlier decision to remove the last two weeks of September from the House’s voting calendar; the official 2026 House legislative calendar, maintained by the Majority Leader’s office, had already reflected the shortened schedule before Wednesday’s additional last-minute cancellation.
Cancellation Came Hours After 100 Democrats Demanded the House Stay in Session
Johnson’s announcement came the same day more than 100 House Democrats signed a letter urging him to keep the chamber in session to address artificial intelligence safety legislation. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries had said Republicans “completely abandoned their responsibility to legislate” on AI regulation, following warnings from industry researchers about potential risks posed by the technology.
Before Departing, the House Passed Sanctions Legislation and a Data Center Energy Bill
Before leaving Washington, the House was expected to complete votes on legislation imposing new sanctions on Russia and Iran and a separate bill intended to shield consumers from rising energy costs tied to data centers, according to CBS News.
Senate Remains in Session on a Separate Calendar
The Senate operates under its own schedule and is expected to remain in session in Washington beyond the House’s departure, with senators slated to stay until early October before their own recess.
Johnson Had Previously Said Republicans Were “Here to Work”
Johnson’s decision marked a reversal from comments he made Sept. 1, when he told reporters, “Republicans are here to work. We have a schedule, a calendar that’s been out for a year. We are abiding by that calendar.” Two days later, House leadership removed the final two full weeks of September from the voting schedule.
Extended Pre-Election Recesses Are a Recurring Practice in Midterm Years
Lengthy recesses ahead of elections are not unusual in midterm years, as incumbents typically use the time to campaign in their districts; the current break is similar in length to a roughly six-week recess ahead of the 2024 election.
Crow Has Repeatedly Criticized Congressional Inaction on the Iran War
Crow, who has led repeated efforts to force votes on ending U.S. military involvement in Iran, including the House’s passage of a war powers resolution the night before Johnson’s announcement, has continued to press for further congressional action on the conflict and other issues throughout 2026.