Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has pledged to swear in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ) before the House votes on a bill to reopen the government.
Johnson has consistently stated he would swear Grijalva in when “Democrats open the government,” breaking the record for the longest time between an election and swearing-in ceremony last month.
Democrats have demanded Grijalva be sworn in, since her election in August, during pro forma sessions in the House, as Johnson has kept the lower chamber at home the entirety of the shutdown. Grijalva, along with the Arizona attorney general, filed a lawsuit against the House seeking to ensure she be sworn in.
“[Grijalva],” Johnson said a few weeks ago, “won her election after the House was out of session, so we have not had a full session. She deserves to have all the pomp and circumstance that everybody else does.”
Rep. Thomas Massie’s (R-KY) and Rep. Ro Khanna’s (D-CA) discharge petition is merely one signature short of forcing Johnson to put their Epstein transparency bill on the House floor for a vote. The so-called “discharge petition” must reach 218 signatures before the authors can call a vote after seven legislative days. All Democrats have been joined by four Republicans, making up the 217 signatures, leaving Grijalva to get the petition over the finish line after she is sworn in.
After more than 50 days of recess, Johnson has begun calling the members back ahead of the formal 36-hour notice that will come after the Senate passes its amended version of the House-passed continuing resolution. The upper chamber cleared its first obstacle on the bill late Sunday, as Republicans were joined by seven Democrats and one independent who caucuses with Democrats to clear the 60-vote threshold to break the filibuster.
“I will call all House members to return to Washington as quickly as possible,” Johnson said Monday morning. “We’ll give a 36-hour formal and official notice so that we can vote as soon as possible to pass the amended CR bill and get it to the president’s desk.”
After 14 failed votes of the House-passed continuing resolution, the Senate’s version of the bill will extend the CR to Jan. 31, 2026, and include a minibus of three appropriations bills that would fund the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Agriculture, among others. The bill does not include any extension of the Obamacare subsidies, which are set to expire at the end of this year, that Democrats have been fighting for.
MIKE JOHNSON TELLS SIDELINED HOUSE MEMBERS TO GET BACK TO WASHINGTON REGARDLESS OF TRAVEL DELAYS
Republicans have vowed to allow a vote next month on the expiring subsidies, with no guarantee that they can pass Congress or will be signed into law. Along with this, Republicans have agreed to reverse thousands of planned layoffs that the White House announced on Oct. 1, the first day of the shutdown.
The current House GOP majority is two seats, with 219 Republicans and 213 Democrats, meaning Johnson can only afford to lose two GOP votes and still pass legislation along party lines. Grijalva won’t change the margin due to House numbers.
Grijalva told the Washington Examiner in a statement: “I am planning to travel to Washington, D.C. after hearing through Leader Jeffries and media reports that Speaker Johnson finally intends to swear me in. This delay never should have never happened in the first place. For seven weeks, 813,000 Arizonans have been denied a voice and access to basic constituent services. This is an abuse of power that no Speaker should have.
“During those same seven weeks, Republicans have kept the government shut down while intentionally inflicting economic strain on the American people as leverage to advance this administration’s cruel agenda. For people working paycheck to paycheck, paying double for healthcare is not an option. A promise for a vote is no guarantee that relief will come, and means little coming from leaders who blocked my swearing in and continue to protect Trump at any cost.
“While I am eager to get to work, I am disappointed that one of my first votes will be on a bill that does nothing to protect working people from skyrocketing premiums, loss of health coverage, or do anything significant to rein in Trump’s abuse of power.”