The Hill News

Friday's canceled House votes are an "embarrassment," one leading Republican charged.

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), the ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, chided Democratic leaders for calling off votes on Friday.

Issa tweeted:

Majority Leader cancelled votes for today...this Congress is redefining the meaning of "do-nothing"...what an embarrassment.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) released a statement on Thursday evening announcing no votes for Friday, and votes only for Wednesday and Thursday of next week. Hoyer has said Democrats aim to finish up their business by next Friday, Oct. 1, before lawmakers can return to their districts to campaign.

The lack of votes paints a picture of indecision underlying House D! emocrats' strategy. Senate Democrats announced Thursday that they wouldn't be taking a tough vote on extending tax cuts before the recess. That leaves House Democratic lawmakers, many of them facing tough reelection challenges this fall, with a difficult choice over whether to take what could be a pointless vote on taxes that might be used against them by Republicans.