The panel voted 26-25 in favour of a committee report recommending that the full House find Blinken in contempt for refusing to comply with its subpoena after he did not appear at a hearing on Tuesday morning on the withdrawal.
Every yes vote came from Republicans and every Democrat voted no, reflecting deep political divisions over the chaotic evacuation of Americans and Afghans who worked with them.
Blinken, who is in New York for the UN General Assembly, said in a letter to the committee's chairman, Republican Representative Michael McCaul, on Sunday that he had tried to reach an accommodation with the committee on when he would be available to testify and offered alternative witnesses.
The US contempt of Congress statute outlines a process for the House or Senate to refer a non-compliant witness for criminal prosecution. Ultimately, the US Justice Department decides whether to bring criminal charges.
McCaul said before the vote that Blinken had declined to appear any time this month.
"I offered any day in September, just a few hours in September. The Secretary couldn't find one day, he couldn't find one hour to come before the United States Congress," he said.
In a statement, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller called the panel's action "a naked political exercise."
"The State Department made clear in repeated communications with the committee that he is willing to testify again, but was unavailable to do so today because he is engaged in high level diplomacy at the United Nations General Assembly," Miller said.
McCaul denied he was motivated by politics.
The US contempt of Congress statute outlines a process for the House or Senate to refer a non-compliant witness for criminal prosecution. Ultimately, the Justice Department decides whether to bring criminal charges.
The full House has not scheduled a vote on the committee's recommendation.
McCaul released a report on September 8 on the committee Republicans' investigation of the Afghanistan withdrawal, blasting Democratic President Joe Biden's administration for failures surrounding the evacuation three years earlier.
The issue has become intensely politicised ahead of the presidential election on November 5.
Last month, the Republican candidate, former President Donald Trump, drew criticism for shooting video for his campaign at Arlington National Cemetery where he appeared at a ceremony honouring troops killed in the evacuation.
Trump also has sought to pin blame for the withdrawal on Vice President Kamala Harris, his Democratic opponent.
The State Department said Blinken has testified before Congress on Afghanistan more than 14 times, including four times before the committee, and the State Department has provided the committee with nearly 20,000 pages of records, multiple high-level briefings and transcribed interviews.
with AP