WASHINGTON — U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson got an earful when he fielded calls on C-SPAN recently.

Samantha, a military wife from Virginia, complained about Johnson’s decision in mid-September not to convene the House until Senate Democrats agreed with Republicans to reopen government.

“I am very disappointed in my party and I’m very disappointed in you because you do have the power to call the House back," Samantha told Johnson. "You refused to do that just for a show.”

Johnson, R-Benton, repeated what he's often said lately: the House did its job by passing a resolution continuing government operations when spending authority expired Oct. 1. It’s Democratic senators who have refused 10 times, as of Thursday, to approve the resolution that has kept government closed for the past

See Full Page