House votes 211-204 to send Massie's Hegseth impeachment articles to committee
The gist
The House voted 211-204 to refer Rep. Thomas Massie's impeachment resolution against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to the Judiciary Committee.
The move shelves the effort for this Congress, though Democrats take large majorities in January.
How it unfolded
- Sep 15, 2026Rep. Thomas Massie filed a 34-page impeachment resolution against Hegseth over the US war with Iran, alleging unlawful orders and unauthorized troop deployments; the House tabled a Trump impeachment resolution that afternoon.
- Sep 16, 2026Republican leaders announced the House would leave Washington a day early, staving off the Hegseth vote until after the midterm election; Massie said the move was to avoid the vote.
- Sep 17, 2026House GOP leaders scrapped Thursday votes, pushing the expected floor vote into the lame duck session.
Key terms
- impeachment resolution
- The process by which a legislature brings charges against an official for serious misconduct, possibly leading to removal after trial.
- Judiciary Committee
- Standing committees of the U.S. House of Representatives that oversee the justice system and government operations.
- War Powers Resolution
- A U.S. federal law limiting the president's power to commit armed forces to conflict without congressional consent.
Source: Wikipedia