BREAKING: House Speaker Demands Emergency Vote As Chaos Ramps Up In The House

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has demanded an emergency vote as tensions reach a breaking point on Capitol Hill, with lawmakers returning to a chamber that’s been paralyzed for weeks. After the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, Johnson is moving fast to regain control of the House and get Washington functioning again.

The House had been largely inactive for more than a month, with no regular sessions, hearings, or votes. Johnson defended his approach, saying the House “did its job” and that “the Senate must act.” But both Democrats and some Republicans have grown frustrated, arguing that leadership has let things spiral into chaos.

The “emergency” vote Johnson called for is meant to push through a temporary funding bill that could reopen the government and stabilize operations for the coming months. The legislation would extend certain programs through January and others through September, but it still leaves major issues unresolved—including health care subsidies and several key federal programs.

Johnson’s challenge now is his narrow majority. With only a few votes to spare, he needs almost every Republican on board to pass the bill. Any defection could tank the plan and deepen the sense of dysfunction. Lawmakers are returning to Washington under immense pressure, with public frustration at an all-time high and party divisions on full display.

The situation also reveals a deeper power struggle. Johnson has relied on tight procedural control, limiting amendments and consolidating authority in his office to move bills through quickly.

The House is set to vote on a bill to reopen the government after the Senate approved it Monday night. President Donald Trump hailed the measure as a “very big victory,” and it’s expected to pass the Republican-controlled chamber.

However, possible travel disruptions tied to the ongoing shutdown could make the vote more difficult. Speaker Mike Johnson will likely need near-perfect attendance from GOP lawmakers to get the bill across the finish line.

As members file back into the chamber, the tension is clear. Johnson says the vote is about doing the job the American people elected them to do, but others see it as a desperate attempt to save face after weeks of inactivity.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise told reporters he’s optimistic that “we’re going to get this government back open today.”

The Louisiana Republican said voting in the House will start around 5 p.m., with final votes expected by 7 p.m. after debate on the bill. Scalise added he’s “very confident the bill’s going to pass.”

On the health care issue central to Democrats’ demands during the shutdown fight, Scalise made clear that House Republicans — unlike their Senate counterparts — would not commit to holding a vote on extending health insurance tax credits that Democrats have been pushing for. Still, he said Republicans are “always willing to work with Democrats to move good policy that helps American families.”

When asked if he would bring a Senate-passed bill related to the Affordable Care Act to the House floor, Scalise replied, “I’ve got to see whatever they might pass.”

“If they’re just looking at shoveling money to insurance companies to mask the high cost of Obamacare, that’s a nonstarter,” he added.

In the end, this vote could define Johnson’s speakership. If it passes, it will mark a rare moment of order amid the chaos. If it fails, it will reinforce the growing sense that Congress is broken—and that the House, for all its power, is struggling to function at all.

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