Hold the gavel, folks—Speaker Mike Johnson is playing hardball by halting House votes yet again, turning up the heat on Senate Democrats as the government shutdown grinds on, as Fox News reports.
As of October 24, 2025, Johnson’s decision to cancel House votes for a fourth consecutive week keeps lawmakers away from Washington since September 19, 2025, amplifying Republican pressure on Senate Democrats who’ve repeatedly blocked a GOP funding proposal while Democrats insist on additional policy concessions.
Let’s rewind to September 19, 2025, the last time the House was in full session, leaving representatives scattered across their districts for over a month while the federal government remains paralyzed.
On that date, the House passed a funding measure, only to see Senate Democrats, led by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., reject the GOP plan a dozen times, refusing to budge without guarantees for expiring health care subsidies tied to the COVID-19 era.
Republicans, under Johnson’s leadership, are pushing for a temporary funding extension through November 21, 2025—a continuing resolution—to buy time for crafting a broader budget agreement for the next fiscal year.
Johnson made his latest no-vote call official during a brief pro forma session on October 24, 2025, a constitutional necessity to keep the House technically active every few days, even if no real legislative work is happening.
These pro forma gatherings also offer a stage for lawmakers to deliver quick remarks or propose bills, though they’re no substitute for the full sessions needed to resolve this impasse.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., didn’t hold back, claiming House Republicans have been “on vacation for the last four weeks.” While frustration is understandable, conservatives might counter that Democrats’ stubbornness on policy add-ons is the real roadblock to getting government back online.
Despite the criticism, the majority of Republicans stand firm behind Johnson’s tactics, viewing the shutdown as a necessary stand against bloated progressive demands that stray from fiscal restraint.
Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb., who oversaw the House chamber on October 24, 2025, hinted at flexibility, saying, “I mean, if all of a sudden the Senate wants to pass a clean CR, I would imagine there are some options on the table that we can pursue to get things back on track.”
That’s a pragmatic take, but let’s be real—conservatives know the Senate isn’t likely to cave without a fight, and holding the line might be the only way to force a deal that doesn’t balloon the deficit further.
Yet, not all in the GOP camp are on board—Reps. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., and Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., have openly questioned Johnson’s approach for weeks, signaling internal friction.
Kiley told MSNBC, “I believe very strongly that it's the wrong decision,” highlighting a worry among some that the House’s absence undermines broader legislative duties beyond the shutdown.
Adding to the unease, Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, noted during a recent Tuesday GOP call that staying out of session too long risks stale messaging, suggesting a return to Washington could strengthen their position.
Multiple lawmakers have echoed similar concerns in private weekly discussions with Johnson, revealing that while Republican unity holds for now, the prolonged standoff might test party cohesion if no resolution emerges soon—and conservatives can only hope this gamble pays off without handing Democrats a PR win.
