House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., made clear on Thursday that House Republicans will not budge amid the ongoing standoff over government funding, as Democrats continue to insist on healthcare concessions.
‘Don’t ask the Republicans what we should be doing or what we should be negotiating. I don’t have anything to negotiate. I sent them, in good faith, exactly what they voted for before,’ Johnson told reporters during a press conference.
‘We did not put any Republican provisions in that, and we tried to make this very simple, in good faith, so the appropriations process of the people can continue.’
The government shutdown has entered into a second day as Democrats and Republicans remain at odds over how to proceed with federal funding past the end of fiscal year (FY) 2025, which concluded Sept. 30.
The House passed a measure to keep the current federal spending levels roughly flat through Nov. 21 to give Congress more time to reach a longer-term deal for FY 2026. That bill, called a continuing resolution (CR), advanced mostly along party lines.
But in the Senate, where at least several Democrats are needed to reach the 60-vote threshold to overcome a filibuster, progress has stalled.
Democrats there have rejected the GOP plan three times, most recently on Wednesday afternoon.
House and Senate Democrats have insisted they will not vote for any funding deal that does not also extend enhanced subsidies in Obamacare, formally called the Affordable Care Act, which were hiked during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Those enhanced subsidies are set to expire at the end of this year without congressional action.
‘People say, ‘Why aren’t you negotiating with [Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.]?’ Because I quite literally have nothing to negotiate. There’s nothing I can pull out of the bill that was a Republican priority to say, ‘Oh, we won’t do that. Why don’t you guys vote for it now?’ I don’t have anything,’ Johnson said.
‘I didn’t put anything in it to send it over. I’m stunned. I’m stunned that they have decided to shut the government down and hurt people. It is on them 100%.’