The U.S. House of Representatives has canceled the last two weeks of scheduled voting sessions in September, leaving only four working days before the November midterm elections. This decision comes after a month-long recess and follows concerns about the political landscape, with recent polls suggesting that Democrats could potentially gain control of the House. The move means the House will not meet in August and will have only four days of legislative activity before the midterms, which are just 60 days away. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, has expressed confidence that his party will maintain its majority, saying Republicans will "defy history" and hold onto power. However, he faces internal challenges within his party, including several Republicans who have defected or expressed opposition. Notably, Reps. Ralph Norman of South Carolina and Chip Roy of Texas—both of whom lost their primary elections—along with Rep. Andy Harris, chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, voted against a rule that would allow for debate on multiple pieces of legislation. The rule ultimately passed only after two conservative Democrats, Reps. Marie Glusenkamp Perez of Washington and Jared Golden of Maine, broke with tradition and supported it. The House will be out of session next week for Labor Day and Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and will reconvene on Monday, September 14. It will then break again the following Thursday and remain in recess for the final two weeks of September. Currently, Republicans hold 218 seats, while Democrats have 214, meaning they need just four additional seats to gain a majority. Some Republicans are expected to attend a proposed midterm convention in Dallas where former President Donald Trump will speak. Several key legislative issues remain unresolved, including the DEFIANCE Act, which would allow victims of nonconsensual deepfake pornography to file civil lawsuits. The bill passed the Senate but has not yet been considered by the House. The House has also not voted on a War Powers Act resolution aimed at limiting the president's authority in the conflict with Iran, which has contributed to rising gas prices. Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Ro Khanna of California have filed a discharge petition to address the Department of Justice’s failure to release documents related to the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The current Attorney General, Todd Blanche, has stated that no further files will be released. Internal divisions are also growing within the Democratic caucus, particularly after Reps. Glusenkamp Perez and Golden supported the rule that caused controversy. Both represent districts that voted for Trump, and Golden is retiring, while Glusenkamp Perez is running for re-election. This situation could create future challenges for House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries. Jeffries has stated he had a productive conversation with Glusenkamp Perez about finding ways to move forward that allow the party to communicate effectively and achieve shared goals.