House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-NY) holds a news conference to discuss the Committee's oversight agenda following the Mueller Hearing in Washington, July 26, 2019.

The Democratic-led House Judiciary Committee voted to intensify its investigation of President Donald Trump on Thursday, as lawmakers edged closer to deciding whether to recommend his impeachment.

The 41-member panel adopted a resolution allowing it to designate hearings as impeachment proceedings, subject witnesses to more aggressive questioning and quicken the pace of an investigation that is expanding into areas that could prove politically explosive for both Trump and Congress.

"With these new procedures, we will begin next week an aggressive series of hearings investigating allegations of corruption, obstruction and abuse of power against the president," House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler told reporters after the 24-17 vote.

A more aggressive probe could also increase pressure on House Democratic leaders including Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has resisted impeachment as a politically risky step for moderate Democratic freshmen from swing districts where ousting Trump is an unpopular idea.

Republicans rejected the notion that the panel was pursuing an impeachment inquiry and dismissed the resolution as a "fantasy" intended to distract from Democrats' unwillingness to have the full House authorize a formal impeachment inquiry, as occurred during the Watergate era and the impeachment of former President Bill Clinton.

Republicans said Democrats lacked the votes to obtain formal House authorization and denounced Thursday's action as a show intended to pander to Democratic voters who want Trump removed from office.

Representative Doug Collins, the panel's top Republican, said the resolution simply reiterates powers that the committee has had all along.

"These rules are not new," he said. "This is to make you believe something is happening, more than what's actually happening."