House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters Wednesday that Thursday’s scheduled House votes are canceled. Lawmakers will likely wrap up votes tonight and leave Washington for a recess lasting until after the November midterms.
Fox News congressional correspondent Bill Melugin first reported the announcement: “House Speaker Mike Johnson tells reporters tomorrow’s House votes are canceled & the House will likely leave after votes tonight and go on recess until after the November midterms.”
This comes after more than 100 House Democrats called on Johnson to scrap the recess and stay in session over an “AI crisis.”
BREAKING: House Speaker Mike Johnson tells reporters tomorrow’s House votes are cancelled & the House will likely leave after votes tonight and go on recess until after the November midterms.
This, after 100+ House Dems called for him to cancel the recess to deal w/ “AI crisis”.
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) September 16, 2026
The House already slashed its September schedule earlier this month, canceling the weeks of Sept. 21 and Sept. 28. After a brief return this week following the long August break, members now get another early exit.
The last voting day before Election Day is effectively tonight. The House is scheduled to return to Washington, D.C. on Monday, November 9, 2026, the week following Election Day (November 3).
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With a CR in place, Congress is scheduled for another recess in October in the runup to the November elections. Members of the House are expected to leave Washington, DC the week of September 21, two weeks earlier than originally scheduled, while Senators are expected to remain in DC until October 2.
Given the short timeframe and quickly approaching midterm elections, the House is not expected to take up major legislative proposals in the coming weeks; members of the Senate will likely focus on confirming federal judges ahead of the October break.
After the November 3 elections, both chambers will be back November 9 with only five remaining weeks in session before the year—and the current congressional session—ends.
Between November 9 and December 11, lawmakers will need to either pass all 12 remaining FY27 spending bills for federal programs, enact another CR to temporarily extend funding for federal programs again, or risk a government shutdown.
The path Congress pursues moving forward may depend on whether control of the House or Senate changes hands after the election—for example, Congress might pass all 12 FY27 spending bills before the year ends to give the incoming Congress a “clean slate” to start their work, but if control of both the House and Senate flip, lawmakers may hold off on finalizing FY27 spending bills to give the new Congress the opportunity to rewrite the spending bills in the new year.
American taxpayers are still paying these members their full salaries, base pay of $174,000 a year, plus leadership stipends, generous benefits, and the usual perks that help many of them get richer while in office.
Meanwhile, ordinary Americans punch a clock, get two weeks of vacation if they’re lucky, and watch Congress take months off.
