House speaker calls early recess before midterms amid AI regulation frenzy

The speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, speaks to reporters at the US Capitol on 16 September 2026 in Washington DC. The speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, speaks to reporters at the US Capitol on 16 September 2026 in Washington DC. The Republican speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, announced on Wednesday that he would again cancel votes scheduled for Thursday, sending lawmakers home one day early ahead of the midterm election recess. The latest change to the legislative schedule means House members will avoid voting on Republican Thomas Massie's resolution to impeach the defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, and comes amid a frenzied attempt to propose legislation on artificial intelligence . It's the latest round of cancellations at the hands of Johnson, who had already cut the pre-election session short by two weeks. Democrats have reacted angrily, encouraging Johnson to keep lawmakers on Capitol Hill before the midterm recess beginning on Friday.