Arkansas Congressman French Hill, who represents the state’s 2nd Congressional District, voted Tuesday, November 10, 2026, to refer 8 articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee.
The procedural motion passed the House by a vote of 211–204.
The impeachment resolution, H. Res. 1655, was introduced by Republican Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky. The resolution includes 8 articles accusing Hegseth of misconduct involving military operations, the exercise of executive authority and other matters.
The allegations include claims concerning the war in Iran, military operations against suspected drug-trafficking vessels and other military actions. Hegseth and the Trump administration dispute the allegations and maintain that the military operations in question were lawful.
Tuesday’s vote did not determine whether Hegseth committed an impeachable offense. Instead, the House approved a motion sending the impeachment resolution to the Judiciary Committee, preventing an immediate vote by the full House on the articles themselves. The referral effectively stopped the effort to impeach Hegseth during the current congressional session.
Hill Explains His Vote
Following the vote, Congressman Hill issued a statement explaining his decision to send the 8 impeachment articles to the House Judiciary Committee rather than proceed directly with impeachment.
“Regardless of what one thinks of Secretary Hegseth’s leadership, today’s motion to impeach him was unserious,” Hill stated.
The Arkansas Republican said he believed the impeachment effort had bypassed the normal investigative process. Hill also expressed frustration with Congress spending time debating impeachment rather than advancing other legislation.
He identified the Farm Bill, federal government funding and military resources among the issues he believes Congress should address before the end of the year, and described the impeachment effort as a political distraction.
His statement came after he previously indicated that he wanted to evaluate the impeachment arguments and determine whether the allegations justified impeachment or another response.
What the Impeachment Articles Allege
The resolution raises questions about the legal authority and conduct of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in connection with several military operations.
Among the allegations are claims that military actions involving Iran violated congressional war powers. Other articles concern military operations in the Caribbean and Pacific, civilian protections during military operations and actions involving Venezuela.
Massie’s resolution argues that certain actions exceeded lawful authority and could constitute grounds for impeachment. Those are allegations contained in the impeachment resolution, not findings established by a court or by the House.
Hegseth has rejected the accusations. The Trump administration has defended the defense secretary and criticized the impeachment effort as politically motivated.
House Vote Breakdown
The U.S. House of Representatives recorded the following results on the motion to refer H. Res. 1655:
- Yes: 211
- No: 204
- Present: 0
- Not voting: 18
The 211 votes supporting the motion included 210 Republicans and 1 independent. The 204 votes against the motion included 203 Democrats and Republican Thomas Massie, who sponsored the impeachment resolution.
Congressman French Hill voted YES on the motion to refer the articles to the Judiciary Committee. The vote is recorded as House Roll Call 317 on November 10, 2026.
What Happens Next?
The impeachment articles were referred to the House Judiciary Committee for consideration. Referring an impeachment resolution to committee is different from approving impeachment.
Impeachment would require a separate vote by the House approving 1 or more articles. A Senate trial and conviction would then be necessary to remove a federal official from office.
Tuesday’s vote did not approve any article of impeachment against Hegseth. The referral also does not require the Judiciary Committee to hold hearings or advance the articles.
About Congressman French Hill
Congressman French Hill represents Arkansas’ 2nd Congressional District, which includes communities in Central Arkansas. Hill is a Republican who serves as chairman of the House Financial Services Committee. He has represented the district since January 2015.
The November 10 vote comes as Congress considers government funding, defense matters and other legislative priorities before the end of 2026. Hill’s office says he believes those issues should receive greater attention from lawmakers.
For more information about Congressman Hill, visit hill.house.gov. To view the official House vote, visit clerk.house.gov.
Source: Office of U.S. Congressman French Hill press release, November 10, 2026; Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives, Roll Call 317; additional reporting from CBS News, Reuters and NPR.
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