Johnson faces blowback for releasing House two weeks early

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(The Center Square) – Despite a backlog of legislative responsibilities, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has canceled the final two weeks of the September legislative session.

That leaves House lawmakers only one more week of business before the midterm elections. The chamber won’t reconvene until mid-November.

While Johnson justified the action as an attempt to “balance all those interests and needs” of House members who want to campaign in their districts ahead of the election, other members have accused him of shirking responsibilities.

“No farm bill. No AI regulations. No affordability agenda. No transportation bill. No water resources bill. No college sports bill. No end to this war,” U.S. Rep. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, posted on social media in response to the news. “See you right before the holidays! Great job!”

Losing two weeks especially endangers the chances of lawmakers finishing their already delayed work to fund the federal government in the upcoming fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.

The House still has nine of the twelve fiscal year 2027 appropriations bills to pass. None have passed both chambers of Congress, and the three-month funding stopgap lawmakers passed Tuesday doesn’t give them much time to do that.

U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., called out Johnson specifically on social media, as well as highlighted the House’s multiple absences during the 119th Congress.

“The U.S. House will be in session only 4 full days from July 24th to November 8th,” Massie posted Friday. “That’s 100 paid days off versus 4 full workings [sic] days plus 4 travel (half) days.”

Johnson and other House Republican leaders have argued that the chamber has been “the most aggressive, successful, and productive House in American history since 1949,” passing nearly 900 pieces of legislation.

“Republicans are here to work. We have a lot more left to do. We’re going to keep demonstrating to the American people every day that their priorities are our priorities,”

Johnson promised reporters before Republican leadership announced the early recess days later. “And you’ll see the results as they come.”