House Oversight Committee votes 21-20 to table motion to subpoena Elon Musk

The House Committee on Oversight and Reform on Wednesday voted 21-20 to table a Democratic motion to subpoena Elon Musk, ending immediate efforts to compel the tech executive to testify before the panel.

Ranking Member Lynch moved that the committee issue a subpoena for Elon Musk, saying, "pursuant to clause 20 2 k 6 of house rule 11, I move that this committee subpoena Elon Musk to testify before this committee." The motion was seconded, but the chair accepted a motion to table the subpoena and the committee proceeded to a recorded roll call vote.

The vote followed more than an hour of procedural points, exchanges about committee practice and the clerk—s readiness to call the roll, and repeated suspensions while members debated parliamentary procedure. Chairwoman Mace presided over the session and directed the clerk to proceed to a recorded tally. When the clerk reported the result, Chairwoman Mace said, "The ayes have it, and the motion to table is agreed to." The committee then resumed its business.

Why it matters: the subpoena would have required Elon Musk to appear before the committee to answer questions raised by Democrats about the administration—s deployment of AI tools, the handling of federal data, and the role of Musk-linked contractors. Tabling the motion halts the immediate effort to compel his testimony, though members may pursue the issue again through other procedures or later votes.

What the vote shows: The roll call indicated a narrow majority in favor of tabling. The clerk reported 21 ayes and 20 nays. The roll call record on the floor named members and their votes as recorded by the clerk at the time the vote was closed.

What—s next: With the committee—s tabling vote approved, the panel proceeded to its scheduled hearing agenda. Members on both sides said they would continue to press for oversight related to the administration—s use of AI and access to federal data, and Democrats emphasized they will continue to seek answers by other means.

Votes at a glance

Motion: Subpoena Elon Musk - Mover: Ranking Member Lynch - Seconded: (second noted in the record) - Parliamentary action: Motion to table was moved from the floor and taken without debate - Outcome: Motion to table agreed to (approved); subpoena motion tabled - Recorded tally: Ayes 21, Nays 20

Recorded votes (as read into the record during the roll call): Aye: Rep. Jordan; Rep. Fox; Rep. Grossman; Rep. Cloud; Rep. Palmer; Rep. Higgins; Rep. Sessions; Rep. Fallon; Rep. Donalds; Rep. Perry; Rep. Timmons; Rep. Birchet; Rep. Green; Rep. Luna; Rep. Burleson; Rep. Crane; Rep. McGuire; Rep. Gill; Rep. Talib; Chairwoman Mace; plus one late recorded aye (Rep. Biggs/Rep. Boebert were later recorded as ayes in the clerk's announcement). No: Ranking Member Lynch; Rep. Norton; Rep. Krishnamoorthi; Rep. Khanna; Rep. Mfume; Rep. Brown; Rep. Stansbury; Rep. Garcia; Rep. Frost; Rep. Lee; Rep. Casar; Rep. Crockett; Rep. Randall; Rep. Subramaniam; Rep. Ansari; Rep. Bell; Rep. Simon; Rep. Minh; Rep. Presley; Rep. others recorded as nays in the tally.

Sources: Committee proceedings and the roll call count reported in the hearing record.