The House won’t return to session next week as Speaker Mike Johnson had previously indicated, according to a notice made during Friday’s pro forma session.
The move came after the Senate voted a fourth time Friday to reject a House-passed continuing resolution that would break the ongoing government shutdown. Johnson and House GOP leaders have argued that measure, which would extend federal funding through Nov. 21, is the only viable path out of the standoff.
Johnson said at a news conference earlier Friday that “the House will come back into session and do its work as soon as Chuck Schumer allows us to reopen the government,” referring to the top Senate Democrat.
Also speaking ahead of the announcement, House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole said he agreed with an argument House GOP leaders have been making in private: “Why would we come back to just come back?” Doing so, he added, would be “negotiating against yourself.”
“Right now, we’re in a situation where, Democrats are trying to blackmail the Republicans into doing something they’re not prepared to do at this point,” Cole said of Democrats’ demands for additional concessions on health care.
A GOP senator also argued ahead of the announcement Friday that bringing the House back next week would only make things “worse.”
“You’ve got 435 members now all angry,” Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota said, saying the House’s return would only add “more fuel for the fire.”
The extended recess stands to delay the swearing-in of Rep-elect. Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.), who is expected to be the final required signature on a discharge petition for a bill forcing Justice Department disclosure of files related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“Johnson and House Republicans care more about protecting the Epstein files than protecting the American people,” Senate Minority Leader Schumer said after the schedule announcement Friday.
The recess decision is also likely to delay a planned Tuesday hearing in the Judiciary Committee with Attorney General Pam Bondi, with Democrats and at least one Republican planning to grill her on the administration’s handling of the Epstein case.
Jordain Carney contributed to this report.