House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer Steny Hamilton HoyerDemocrats scramble on COVID-19 relief amid division, Trump surprise The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - Pence lauds Harris as 'experienced debater'; Trump, Biden diverge over debate prep Coons beats back progressive Senate primary challenger in Delaware MORE (D-Md.) said Tuesday that House Democrats are leaving the door open to seek testimony from former national security adviser John Bolton John BoltonThe Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - Pence lauds Harris as 'experienced debater'; Trump, Biden diverge over debate prep DOJ launches probe into Bolton book for possible classified information disclosures Gary Cohn: 'I haven't made up my mind' on vote for president in November MORE in the ongoing investigation into President Trump Donald John TrumpBarr criticizes DOJ in speech declaring all agency power 'is invested in the attorney general' Military leaders asked about using heat ray on protesters outside White House: report Powell warns failure to reach COVID-19 deal could 'scar and damage' economy MORE's dealings with Ukraine.

Hoyer was quick to emphasize that House Democrats have no immediate plan to subpoena Bolton as Democrats in both chambers press Senate GOP leaders to summon the former White House adviser once the impeachment process shifts to the trial stage.

But he also didn't rule it out.

"I think that's an option, but it's not an option that we're pursuing at this point in time," Hoyer said during a press briefing in the Capitol. "We'll need to see what the Senate's doing."



The comments arrive as Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiPowell warns failure to reach COVID-19 deal could 'scar and damage' economy Overnight Defense: House to vote on military justice bill spurred by Vanessa Guillén death | Biden courts veterans after Trump's military controversies Intelligence chief says Congress will get some in-person election security briefings MORE (D-Calif.) continues to refuse to send two articles of impeachment, passed in the House last month, to the Senate. Pelosi, with the strong backing of her caucus, has said she's waiting first for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellSenate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden Hillicon Valley: DOJ indicts Chinese, Malaysian hackers accused of targeting over 100 organizations | GOP senators raise concerns over Oracle-TikTok deal | QAnon awareness jumps in new poll The Hill's Campaign Report: Biden asks if public can trust vaccine from Trump ahead of Election Day | Oklahoma health officials raised red flags before Trump rally MORE (R-Ky.) to lay out the guidelines that will govern the process in the upper chamber.



"It is important that he immediately publish this resolution, so that, as I have said before, we can see the arena in which we will be participating, appoint managers and transmit the articles to the Senate," Pelosi wrote to fellow Democrats Tuesday night.



McConnell fired back on Wednesday, saying Pelosi has no leverage in the debate since Senate Republicans have already secured enough support to adopt their own set of rules without Democratic votes.



"There will be no haggling with the House over Senate procedure," McConnell said on the chamber floor.



Among the chief sticking points between the parties has been the question of whether the Senate will push forward with the trial without seeking new evidence or witness testimony, as Republicans insist, or if new documents and witness testimony will be considered, as Democrats are demanding.



Bolton, who left the White House last September amid policy conflicts with Trump, had refused to testify in the House investigation, citing the president's prohibition on his cooperation and the absence of court decision gauging which tool — the congressional subpoena or executive immunity — held more weight.



On Monday, however, Bolton reversed course and said he'd testify under subpoena, even without a court ruling.



Bolton's lawyer said last month that his client has plenty of insights into Trump's pressure campaign on Ukrainian leaders to find dirt on the president's political rivals — the episode that was at the center of the Democrats' impeachment investigation. And Democrats have clamored for McConnell to summon Bolton to hear his story.



McConnell, joined by all Senate Republicans, is vowing to launch the trial with passage of a rules resolution, which defers any decision on potential witnesses until the middle of the process.



The uncertainty surrounding Bolton's Senate appearance has led some Democrats to promote an alternate plan: Why not subpoena him to testify in the House?



Hoyer said Wednesday that Democrats wouldn't be announcing a decision either way until it becomes more clear how the Senate process will unfold.



"We do not preclude that option," he said.