Why the House Won’t Return While the Government Shutdown Drags On

House Speaker Mike Johnson has stated that bringing members back to Washington to vote is pointless as the federal government shutdown enters its fourth week. Johnson calls reopening the Senate a “futile exercise” because a stopgap financing bill has been repeatedly denied.

Johnson noted that the Senate has yet to act on a September 19 House continuing resolution that would fund the government through November 21. The Speaker stated that reconvening the House to adopt the same proposal would only result in Senate rejection and blame on House Republicans.

Johnson finds math straightforward. House done its duty, so there’s no reason to send representatives back for a failed vote until the Senate demonstrates desire to proceed. If he brought members back now and another measure passed, it “would meet the exact same fate”—so he questioned reporters, “What would be the point?”

Senate Democrats seek more than avoiding a shutdown. Before funding legislation, they want Affordable Care Act subsidies and the rollback of soaring health-insurance prices for millions of Americans. The House is open to discussing those matters once the government is back online, say Republicans. As Johnson put it, the Senate is next after the chamber.

Republican caucus frustrations persist despite bold rhetoric. GOP lawmakers are increasingly eager to restart legislative business as government workers and military troops go unpaid and significant programs languish. The House’s extended recess and lack of clear return plans may hurt the conference’s voter appeal, according to some.

By keeping the House open only when there is a winning path, Johnson avoids wasting political resources on votes that will fail. Unfortunately, Washington is inert while the shutdown is having serious implications. Benefits programs are suspended, federal agencies operate little, and the public watches.

The Speaker claims he is saving the House from failure and that bringing members back early would be a photo op while the Senate has all the authority. He expressed frustration that media coverage continues to focus on the House schedule rather than the shutdown’s impact on Americans.

Johnson’s gamble comes into question as the budget deadline approaches and the shutdown’s agony deepens. Will Senate Democrats now support the House-passed resolution? Will the Senate write a new bill, requiring the House to return, or will the standoff deepen? House will remain ignored until one of those pathways emerges.

Sources
Axios
The Hill