Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick voted with House Republicans on Tuesday, Nov. 10, to block an immediate impeachment vote against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The House voted 211-204 to send the impeachment resolution to the Judiciary Committee instead of the floor, according to House Clerk records. The vote fell largely along party lines: 210 Republicans and one independent voted yes, while 203 Democrats voted no. One Republican voted against the motion. Eleven Democrats and seven Republicans did not vote.
Fitzpatrick, the Republican representing Pennsylvania's 1st Congressional District, which includes Bucks County, issued a statement explaining his vote. He called for a bipartisan investigation before any impeachment vote.
"The actions of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on multiple matters, to include Ukraine (which, unfortunately, is nowhere mentioned in the Resolution before the House), must be fully investigated via public hearings by Members of both parties on the House Judiciary Committee," Fitzpatrick said in the statement.
He added: "All facts must be uncovered, all witnesses must be called, and the results of the investigation must be reported to the House Floor for appropriate action."
Fitzpatrick said his vote followed standard impeachment protocol: a bipartisan investigation and hearings first, then a vote.
The resolution was introduced by Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican who is leaving Congress in January after losing his primary. Massie's resolution included eight counts focused largely on the war in Iran, as well as U.S. military actions in Yemen and Venezuela, the Bucks County Beacon reported, citing the Associated Press.
Massie filed the resolution on Monday, Nov. 9, as lawmakers returned to Washington.
The vote came as Republicans dealt with fallout from midterm losses that some in the party blamed on the war in Iran and rising gas prices, the Associated Press reported. President Donald Trump signaled strong support for Hegseth ahead of the vote.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries backed the impeachment push, saying Hegseth "abused his power" and "undermined America's national security," according to the AP.
The delay may be short-lived. Democrats are set to take control of both the House and Senate in January, and could revive impeachment proceedings then.
Fitzpatrick, described as outgoing by the Beacon, lost his reelection bid on Nov. 3 to Democrat Bob Harvie, according to unofficial results reported by Central Bucks Now.
