House votes cancelled as lawmakers travel to New Jersey for Rep. Payne's funeral

Votes in the House of Representatives have been cancelled on Thursday as House members make their way to New Jersey for the funeral of former Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (D-N.J.), who passed away last week following a heart attack.

Payne, 65, was first elected to the House in 2012. His office said he had a "cardiac episode based on complications from his diabetes" on April 17 and later died on April 24.

His House seat remains vacant and no announcements have been made about a replacement.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.J., said on Wednesday it was too early for discussions surrounding a replacement.

“We haven’t had those conversations because we’re still in the process of both mourning the loss of a great member of Congress and a classmate of mine,” Jeffries said.