Republicans led by Speaker Mike Johnson and Democrats led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries are trading blame over the current government shutdown. (Evan Vucci/AP Photo; J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo)
Johnson also told Republicans toward the end of the call that the House would return only after Senate Democrats voted to reopen the government, a source said.
House and Senate GOP leaders have signaled that they will not budge from their current federal funding proposal, a short-term spending bill called a continuing resolution (CR) that would keep spending levels roughly flat for seven weeks.
That measure passed the House — largely along party lines — on Sept. 19. The House has since been out of session in a bid to put pressure on Senate Democrats to accept the plan.
It is also why Johnson opted on Friday to designate the next week as a district work period, canceling a previously planned legislative session from Tuesday through Friday.
Johnson told House Republicans on the Saturday call that it was the best way to prevent "Democrat disruptions," Fox News Digital was told.
No Republicans voiced disagreement with the plan, Fox News Digital was told, signaling the GOP's unity on the issue.
He told reporters during a press conference Friday morning that the House may not return until Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Democrats agreed with Republicans' bill.
The government is in a partial shutdown after Congress failed to reach an agreement on federal funding. (Getty Images)
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Democrats have accused Republicans of lying about that line of attack.
GOP leaders also emphasized on the call that military members are not paid during government shutdowns, urging Republicans to make that point in their districts, while also warning that federal flood insurance funding is also in danger of drying up.
Fox News Digital was also told that House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., said the next important date in the shutdown fight would be Oct. 15, the date of servicemembers' next paycheck — which they could miss if the shutdown is ongoing.
Senate Democrats have now rejected the GOP's funding plan four times since Sept. 19. The Senate is expected to next vote on the bill again on Monday.
Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.
Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/mike-johnson-rallies-house-republicans-government-shutdown-messaging-war-during-private-call