Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson announced on Wednesday that he would cancel scheduled votes for Thursday, sending lawmakers home one day earlier than planned before the midterm election recess. This decision means that members of Congress will not vote on a Republican-led resolution, introduced by Representative Thomas Massie, to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The move comes at a time when lawmakers were preparing to debate legislation related to the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI), a topic that has gained urgency due to concerns raised by industry leaders and whistleblowers about the need for oversight. This is not the first time Johnson has shortened the legislative schedule. Earlier in the session, he had cut the pre-election session short by two weeks. The Democratic Party has criticized Johnson's decision, arguing that lawmakers should remain in Washington before the midterm recess, which begins on Friday. Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal criticized the move, calling it an example of "the cowardice of the Republican Party," suggesting that Republicans feared the impeachment resolution against Hegseth might pass with bipartisan support. Lawmakers had hoped to address AI regulation in response to growing concerns about the potential risks of uncontrolled AI development. However, Johnson has been hesitant to engage on the issue, aligning himself with former President Donald Trump. "We cannot have a moratorium on the development of AI," Johnson told reporters on Tuesday, warning that such a pause could allow China to gain an advantage, posing "serious national security implications for every American family." More than 100 House Democrats had previously written to Johnson, urging him to cancel the upcoming recess so they could vote on AI safeguards. In response to the latest changes, House leadership informed lawmakers that votes on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations, originally scheduled for Thursday, would instead take place on Wednesday afternoon. This adjustment highlights the shifting priorities and scheduling challenges faced by Congress as it approaches the midterm elections.