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House cancels votes, delays Hegseth impeachment measure

Republican leaders dropped Thursday’s House votes, pushing an expected impeachment measure against Pete Hegseth past the midterm elections.

The Ballot Washington DeskSeptember 17, 2026
House cancels votes, delays Hegseth impeachment measure

Key takeaways

  • Thursday’s House votes were canceled.
  • The Hegseth resolution had been expected on the floor Thursday.
  • The House left without voting on the impeachment measure.
  • Consideration was pushed into the lame-duck session.

Thursday votes canceled

House Republican leaders canceled votes scheduled for Thursday, shortening the chamber’s final week in Washington before the midterm elections. Lawmakers left Wednesday without taking up a resolution seeking the impeachment of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

The resolution had been expected to reach the House floor Thursday. Removing that day’s votes from the schedule meant the House did not make a decision on the measure before members departed Washington.

The schedule change affected when the House would confront the Hegseth resolution, not whether the measure remained pending. Floor action was pushed into the lame-duck session, placing the issue on the House’s post-election calendar instead of its final week before the midterms.

What the delay means

The House’s planned sequence had put the Hegseth measure on course for possible action Thursday. Republican leaders’ decision to cancel that day’s votes interrupted that timetable and prevented the expected pre-election floor action.

The chamber therefore ended its final week before the midterms without a recorded House decision on the impeachment resolution. Any floor consideration will now come after the elections, during the lame-duck period.

The next procedural question is when House leaders set the post-election schedule and whether the Hegseth resolution is placed on it. Until the measure reaches the floor, lawmakers will not cast votes on it and the House will not register a formal outcome.

What to watch

  • The House’s post-election floor schedule
  • Whether the Hegseth resolution reaches the floor
  • The timing of any recorded vote

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