After keeping the U.S. House shuttered for nearly eight weeks during the longest government shutdown in history, Speaker Mike Johnson is recalling lawmakers back to Washington — and they are bringing a wave of pent-up frustrations and unfinished business.
According to The Associated Press, hundreds of representatives are set to return on Wednesday, carrying proposals, complaints, and legislative priorities that stalled while Johnson refused to convene the chamber.
First on the agenda: a vote to reopen the government. But other pressing matters — including releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files and swearing in Arizona Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva — will test the speaker’s authority and leadership.
“It’s extraordinary,” said Matthew Green, a politics professor at The Catholic University of America. “What Speaker Johnson and Republicans are doing, you have to go back decades to find an example where the House — either chamber — decided not to meet.”
Johnson’s shutdown strategy highlighted his willingness to upend institutional norms. Instead of steering legislative debates, he closed the House, allowing the chamber to defer to President Donald Trump. Over the past weeks, the House sidestepped routine legislation and oversight responsibilities, leaving Johnson to defend the move.
“You can see it is pretty empty around here,” Johnson said early in the shutdown. “When Congress decides to turn off the lights, it shifts the authority to the executive branch. That is how it works.”
He insisted that the House had done its job by passing a stopgap funding bill in September and refused to negotiate with Senate or Democratic leaders. “People say, why aren’t you negotiating with Schumer and Jeffries? I quite literally have nothing to negotiate,” Johnson said. “We did our job. We had that vote.”
Under a rules change this year, Johnson could keep the House closed without a vote, limiting lawmakers’ ability to propose amendments and check executive power. His decision not to swear in Grijalva drew comparisons to Mitch McConnell’s Supreme Court blockade, highlighting his consolidation of authority.
Marc Short, who led White House legislative affairs under Trump, said, “It’s impressive how he’s held the conference together,” but noted, “The legislative branch has abdicated a lot of responsibility to the executive under his watch.”
As Congress reconvenes, Johnson’s leadership faces renewed scrutiny. House Republicans will have concerns about the temporary funding bill, which keeps much of the government running through Jan. 30 but omits health care subsidies. House Democrats, meanwhile, remain critical. “They’re not going to be able to hide this week when they return,” Rep. Hakeem Jeffries said.
The return of lawmakers marks the end of a historic chapter in Johnson’s tenure — one defined by unorthodox tactics, strong alignment with the White House, and unprecedented control over the legislative process.
