The House Votes a Third Time to End the Iran War, 220-204, as Three More Republicans Cross Over — and the Same Day Thomas Massie Files Eight Articles of Impeachment Against Pete Hegseth, Saying He "Is Breaking the Law and Must Be Held Accountable," Before GOP Leaders Cancel the Rest of the Week's Votes
On Sept. 15, 2026, the House passed a war powers resolution directing President Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities with Iran, 220-204 — its third such vote, after a failed attempt in March and passage in June and July. Seven Republicans voted yes, the largest GOP defection yet: Reps. Tom Barrett (Mich.), Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), Warren Davidson (Ohio) and Thomas Massie (Ky.), who had backed earlier resolutions, joined for the first time by Nancy Mace (S.C.) and Iowa's Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Zach Nunn. The concurrent resolution does not go to the president; the Senate is to take it up by Oct. 2. Hours earlier, Massie rose on the House floor to introduce eight articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth without notifying party leaders. The 34-page resolution accuses Hegseth of waging the Iran war for more than 90 days without congressional authorization, defying Congress, causing needless civilian casualties, retaliating against Sen. Mark Kelly for protected speech, and — in its seventh article — the "kidnapping of a sovereign foreign leader" in the January operation that seized Nicolás Maduro. Because Massie offered it as a privileged resolution, leadership had to act on it within days; Majority Whip Tom Emmer then announced that the week's last votes would be Wednesday afternoon, and Massie accused leaders of "canceling Congress" to avoid the vote. The Pentagon called Hegseth "a transformative leader," and Attorney General Todd Blanche said he "follows the law." The votes came the same week the Congressional Budget Office put the war's cost through August at $38.1 billion.
“It's a publicity stunt by someone who wants attention. … Secretary Hegseth has done an extraordinary job. … It will immediately be tabled, of course. But we probably won't do that today. … It's time for our members to go home to their districts and make the case to the American people.”