GOP leaders said Tuesday they will move forward with planned votes in the House this week as they continue to monitor Hurricane Florence, expected to be one of the strongest storms to hit the Carolinas and Virginia in decades.

“Members are advised that — due to the important nature of votes expected on the Floor and in committee this week — there are no changes to the House schedule at this time,” Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy Kevin Owen McCarthyMcCarthy's Democratic challenger to launch first TV ad highlighting Air Force service as single mother Trump asked Chamber of Commerce to reconsider Democratic endorsements: report The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - White House moves closer to Pelosi on virus relief bill MORE (R-Calif.), who controls the House floor schedule, emailed lawmakers.

“Members are encouraged to be in DC and voting so that we can move through our legislative work as quickly as possible,” McCarthy added. “We will continue to monitor Hurricane Florence and send further updates as needed.”

His email came minutes after The Hill published a story saying that GOP leaders were weighing whether to cancel votes for the entire week, as Hurricane Florence prompted evacuation orders for more than 1 million people along the coasts and threatened to disrupt air travel across the country.

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House lawmakers already are facing a truncated, Wednesday-through-Friday workweek. The lower chamber was not in session Monday or Tuesday in honor of the Rosh Hashana Jewish holiday.

But several lawmakers from the Carolinas, including Reps. Walter Jones Walter Beaman JonesExperts warn Georgia's new electronic voting machines vulnerable to potential intrusions, malfunctions Georgia restores 22,000 voter registrations after purge Stacey Abrams group files emergency motion to stop Georgia voting roll purge MORE (R-N.C.) and Mark Meadows Mark Randall MeadowsHouse moves toward spending vote after bipartisan talks House Democrats mull delay on spending bill vote Southwest Airlines, unions call for six-month extension of government aid MORE (R-N.C.), and Rep. Dave Brat (R-Va.) said they are planning to ride out the storm in their districts this week so they could better coordinate local, state and federal resources.

Two powerful North Carolina Republicans, Chief Deputy Whip Patrick McHenry Patrick Timothy McHenryCheney battle raises questions about House GOP's future Hillicon Valley: Democrats request counterintelligence briefing | New pressure for election funding | Republicans urge retaliation against Chinese hackers House Republicans urge Trump to take action against Chinese hackers targeting coronavirus research MORE and Republican Study Committee Chairman Mark Walker Bradley (Mark) Mark WalkerMike Johnson to run for vice chairman of House GOP conference The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by National Industries for the Blind - Woodward book revelations rock Washington The Hill's 12:30 Report — Presented by Facebook — Trump, Biden duel in final stretch | Vaccine trial on pause after recipient's 'potentially unexplained illness' | Biden visits Michigan | Trump campaign has 18 events in 11 states planned in the next week MORE, were monitoring the storm and had not decided whether to stay in their districts this week or return to Washington, their spokesmen said.

Canceling the workweek could pose additional problems for House Republicans’ agenda less than two months before the critical midterm elections. Because the lower chamber will be on recess all of next week for Yom Kippur, there are just seven legislative days remaining in the month of September.

GOP leaders are racing to pass a series of spending packages needed to avert a government shutdown on Sept. 30. The House had planned to pass the first such package this week after House and Senate negotiators reached a deal on energy and water, military construction and Veterans Affairs, and legislative branch appropriations bills.

House leaders had also hoped to pass a final version of a water infrastructure bill this week after bipartisan leaders struck an agreement on Monday. Congress also must reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration before a deadline at the end of the month.

“We’re in wait-and-see mode right now but we just don’t have a lot of time,” said one GOP congressman's chief of staff. “The fewer days Congress has to vote, the more pressure builds before October.”

Leadership sources said Tuesday they are prepared to move forward with votes despite absences from a handful of members who represent states impacted by the storm. In addition to the so-called minibus, legislation that would make changes to the Affordable Care Act’s employer mandate is expected to come to the floor this week.

Hurricane Florence, which is now a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds at about 130 mph, is expected to strike the Carolinas and Virginia on Thursday night or Friday morning before it continues inland. On Monday night, President Trump Donald John TrumpOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Pelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate MORE approved emergency declarations for North and South Carolina ahead of the storm.

People living in coastal areas of North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia already have been ordered to evacuate due to threats of high winds, the storm surge and flooding. The already saturated Washington, D.C., region is also expected to be hit with additional heavy rainfall from the storm.

On Tuesday morning, Mayor Muriel Bowser declared a state of emergency in Washington, D.C., as the city prepares for possible flooding and power outages.

--This report was updated at 2:44 p.m.