Speaker Mike Johnson told House Republicans on a conference call Monday that they need to stick together to force Senate Democrats to swallow the seven-week stopgap bill the House passed last week, according three people granted anonymity to describe the private call.
Johnson said he plans to bring the House back into session next week, the people said — a decision that comes as some House Republicans grow restless about the prospect of being out of Washington as a potential government shutdown looms.
The House was already set to be out of session this week, in part because of the Yom Kippur holiday. But Johnson has been entertaining whether to keep the lawmakers away longer to bring more pressure to bear on the Senate.
Otherwise, Johnson stressed unity ahead of the Tuesday midnight shutdown deadline. He said on the call that House and Senate GOP leaders plan to hold a joint news conference Wednesday morning, after agencies might have closed, the people said.
Johnson is set to attend a White House meeting Monday with fellow congressional leaders and President Donald Trump. The Senate is set to re-vote on the House-passed continuing resolution Tuesday, just hours before the shutdown deadline.
Democrats are demanding negotiations on an extension of boosted health insurance subsidies as part of any deal to avert a shutdown. But Johnson and other GOP leaders are seeking to push off any talks.
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