Speaker Mike Johnson sent House members home early to campaign before the midterms; the House adjourned Thursday two minutes after convening. Democrats accused Republicans of absenteeism and presiding over a “do-nothing Congress,” citing 63 canceled voting days.
The immediate trigger was a deadline to consider Rep. Thomas Massie’s (R-Ky.) resolution to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. House rules require such a measure to be considered within two legislative days unless offered by the majority or minority leaders; Johnson postponed it, and the deadline prompted him to cancel the rest of the week’s business. The House had already canceled its final two pre-midterm weeks; the Senate remained in session through the following week, and both chambers were due back in the second week of November.
Democrats also cited three government shutdowns totaling a record 100 days. Republicans countered that their two years had been productive, citing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s tax cuts and a crackdown on illegal immigration. The House’s only major bill last week was an agreement, by a 262–159 vote, to Senate amendments to the Russian and Iran Sanctions Act; the president signed it Friday.
