House Speaker Mike Johnson warned that Congress is heading toward a historically long shutdown unless a clean budget is passed.
“We’re barreling toward one of the longest shutdowns in American history unless Democrats drop their partisan demands and pass a clean, no-strings-attached budget to reopen the government and pay our federal workers,” Johnson said.
“Republicans are eager to return to the actual negotiating table to finish out full-year appropriations and do work on all the other matters before us, but we won’t negotiate in smoke-filled back rooms, and we won’t negotiate as hostages,” he stated.
Quoting former President Barack Obama, Johnson noted: “There is one way out of this reckless and damaging Republican shutdown: Congress has to pass a budget that funds our government with no partisan strings attached.”
“What I just read was a direct quote. Those are not my words. They belong to President Barack Obama. He was speaking there in 2013 when our government was shut down for 16 days,” Johnson explained. “This would be the third-longest government shutdown in American history, that one would be.”
The longest shutdown occurred during President Trump’s first term and lasted 35 days.
“I don’t know what the Democrats are doing, but the House Republicans have been very busy. They’re doing some of their best work in the district, helping their constituents navigate this crisis that’s been created by [Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer and the Democrats,” the House Speaker added. “The Schumer Shutdown, it causes real pain for real people, veterans, the elderly people who rely upon these services.”
