Ga. Democrats call sudden adjournment in US House ‘outrageous,’ ‘desperate’
WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Everton Blair knew his time in Washington would be brief, considering he was elected only to complete the remainder of late Congressman David Scott’s term.
But Speaker Mike Johnson’s decision to cancel two weeks of House votes this month makes Blair’s abbreviated tenure even shorter. The Lilburn Democrat said it sends a message to voters that Republicans, who hold a slim majority, are more interested in campaigning than working in Washington.
“I came here to do this job,” he said. “And it is outrageous to me that we would go home early, extend recess for nothing else but for political gain.”
Johnson cut the session even shorter with an announcement Wednesday he would cancel votes scheduled for Thursday, sending members home a day earlier for a long recess through the midterm election. His decision Wednesday was partially because of Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie’s surprise effort to force a vote on impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
“The House has done it’s job here,” Johnson told reporters after lawmakers cast their final votes until at least Nov. 9.
Two Georgia Republicans, Reps. Andrew Clyde and Clay Fuller, would not say if they think the speaker made the right call.
“It’s not my decision; it doesn’t matter whether I agreed with it or not,” Clyde said.
Both lawmakers are running for reelection and said that, even though they will not be back in Washington until after the election, it does not mean they won’t be working. They said their plates will be full reviewing legislation, attending committee hearings and meeting with constituents.
“You can’t understand the district only being in D.C.,” said Fuller, R-Lookout Mountain. “And so, I’ve got to get home, talk to to people around the 14th (District) and all my 10 counties to find out what their priorities are.”
Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Suwanee, said he believes Republicans have accomplished plenty over the past two years to provide voters a reason to keep them in the majority, including the passage of tax cuts contained in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
“I think we did pretty well with a two-vote majority,” McCormick said. “We passed as many bills as probably any Congress.”
The Congress.gov database shows the House has passed 731 pieces of legislation since January 2024, compared with 660 during the previous session.
However, critics of the current Republican majority say there have been relatively few bills of substance compared with previous years.
Rep. Hank Johnson said the cancellation of votes was a “desperate” measure that shows Republicans don’t have an vision for what they want to accomplish.
“People are concerned about the high cost of living, and Congress under Republican control is not addressing that,” the Lithonia Democrat said. “And so, they have no answers. Might as well go home.”
Rep. Nikema Williams, an Atlanta Democrat, said she believes Democrats leave Washington in a position of strength. And she believes that voters will send a message to Republicans via the midterm election results.
“I can’t wait until November, when the country shows them that they’re fed up with their failed policies that are continuing to leave Americans behind,” Williams said. “And so, I’m ready to do the work to make it a reality in November and to show back up here in the majority.”