Johnson keeps House lawmakers home as shutdown heads to 4th week

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has once more instructed Home lawmakers to remain of their residence districts subsequent week and hold the eye — and warmth — in Washington on Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer, DY, for greater than a month.

A Home clerk introduced Friday that Johnson is designating Oct. 20 by 23 as a “district work interval,” which means no votes or hearings are anticipated to be held within the Home earlier than then.

It is a part of the strain technique Johnson has applied in opposition to Democrats amid the continuing authorities shutdown, which is coming into a fourth week because the Republican Occasion’s federal financing plan stalls within the Senate.

The Home Republican Occasion on September 19 handed its federal financing plan, a seven-week extension of the federal government spending stage by the 2025 fiscal yr, a so-called persevering with decision (CR).

SCREAMING MATCH ENDS BETWEEN HAKEEM JEFFRIES AND MIKE LAWLER AS GOVERNMENT CHAOS CONTINUES

Home Speaker Mike Johnson, proper, criticizes Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer, left, for refusing to comply with a Republican Occasion-led plan to forestall a authorities shutdown. (Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg through Getty Photographs; Tasos Katopodis/Getty Photographs)

It was supposed to offer congressional negotiators extra time to succeed in a longer-term deal on spending for the 2026 fiscal yr.

However Democrats, livid at being sidelined within the talks, are threatening to reject any deal that doesn’t embody an extension of COVID-19 pandemic-era Obamacare subsidies, that are set to run out on the finish of December.

Democrats argue that thousands and thousands of Individuals are anticipated to see their well being care premiums skyrocket even earlier than the subsidies themselves expire on the finish of this yr, and that no plan has been put in place.

Republican leaders have indicated they’re open to having these discussions at a later date — though not with out reforming the system — however are standing by their demand that the CR be handed with out partisan policymakers hooked up to it.

Johnson instructed reporters earlier on Friday that he would give members of the Home of Representatives 48 hours’ discover earlier than they needed to return for any votes, one thing he has acknowledged each publicly and privately for weeks.

THE HOUSE PASSES TRUMP-SUPPORTED PLAN TO AVOID A GOVERNMENT SHUTOUT

Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer converse to reporters after assembly with President Donald Trump on the White Home about funding laws in Washington, September 29, 2025. (Win McNamee/Getty Photographs)

However whereas his Republican convention is basically united behind him, there are a number of Republicans who’re uncomfortable with the lengthy recess interval.

Each Reps. Jay Obernolte, R-Calif., and Julie Fedorchak, R-N.D., expressed considerations in regards to the prolonged time at residence throughout a non-public name with Home Republicans earlier this month.

Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-California, has been extra public along with his opposition. He instructed MSNBC reside on tv Wednesday: “It is completely unacceptable to me and I feel it simply creates extra mistrust.”

And Rep. Dave Valadao, whereas not explicitly pushing again on Johnson’s determination, instructed Fox Information Digital that he was “torn about that” earlier than blaming Senate Democrats for placing the Republican Occasion on this state of affairs.

In the meantime, Rep. Johnny Olszewski, D-Md., the one Home Democrat who was within the Home when the district work interval was declared, criticized Johnson for maintaining the Home out of session.

The federal government is in a shutdown after Congress failed to succeed in an settlement on federal funding. (Getty Photographs)

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“Congress has been absent right here within the Home of Representatives for almost a month whereas important conversations must occur on reopening the federal government, decreasing the price of well being look after thousands and thousands of Individuals, in addition to progress on important points,” Olszewski stated.

In an indication of a probable extended shutdown, the Senate is making ready to carry a standalone vote subsequent week on paying authorities workers compelled to work through the shutdown, together with active-duty army members.

Requested by reporters whether or not the Home of Representatives would come again to vote on the measure if it had been to move the Senate, Johnson stated Friday: “If we’ve a viable path, sure, however I think the Democrats will block it once more.”