As lawmakers debate a government funding extension, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., awaits the arrival of the leader of the Orthodox Christian Church, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the Capitol in Washington, Sept. 17, 2025. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo)
The speaker told House Republicans he would give them 48 hours' notice before the next House votes were called but did not say when that would be, Fox News Digital was told — after publicly stating multiple times that their return would depend on Senate Democrats.
He said on CNN's "State of the Union" on Wednesday: "As soon as [Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.] decides to stop playing games, we'll bring everybody back here and get right back to regular session."
But at least three House Republicans are advocating for the chamber to return next week whether the shutdown is resolved or not, including two on the Thursday call.
Reps. Jay Obernolte, R-Calif., and Julie Fedorchak, R-N.D., both spoke up in favor of returning next week, sources told Fox News Digital.
SENATE DEMOCRATS DEFY WHITE HOUSE WARNINGS, AGAIN BLOCK GOP BID TO REOPEN GOVERNMENT
Obernolte told Johnson the House had more work to do beyond spending bills, adding, "None of that is getting done," Fox News Digital was told.
"I think we're going to get to a point where it's damaging to continue to keep the House out of session. I think we've gotten to that point," Obernolte said, Fox News Digital was told.
Fedorchak said she believed House Republicans would be in a better strategic position if they were in D.C., sources said.
But Johnson reiterated his 48-hour pledge and said a recess next week was not a "final call" but pointed out that most House Republicans thought it was the right decision, sources said.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., talks to reporters outside the West Wing of the White House, Sept. 29, 2025, in Washington, as House Speaker Mike Johnson of La., listens. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo)
Johnson, as leader of the House of Representatives, does not have a say over what the Senate does. But he addressed a similar query during a Q&A with Americans on C-SPAN Thursday morning.
"The filibuster is a tradition there that people on both sides cherish, and the reason is if you blow that up, and you go nuclear on something like a CR, their argument is you would open a Pandora's box," Johnson said.
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"What if the socialists take over the Senate, and Democrat socialists are in charge, and they want to grow government to take over the means of production, and they don't have any safeguard there, and they could do it with a bare-minimum majority next time?"
The government shutdown is poised to roll into a tenth day on Friday after Senate Democrats rejected the GOP's funding plan a seventh time.
Republicans are pushing a short-term extension of fiscal year (FY) 2025 funding levels, called a continuing resolution (CR), to give lawmakers more time to reach a deal on FY2026 spending levels.
But Democrats, infuriated at being sidelined in the discussions, are demanding serious concessions on healthcare provisions in exchange for their support for a spending deal.
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/johnson-turns-up-shutdown-pressure-democrats-gop-unease-grows