BREAKING: Speaker Johnson Reveals When The Shutdown Will End

House Speaker Mike Johnson said Wednesday that the “long national nightmare” of the government shutdown could finally end tonight, if Democrats don’t get in the way again.

“We believe the long national nightmare will be over tonight,” Johnson told reporters at the Capitol, predicting that the House would have the votes to approve the Senate-passed funding bill.

“We’re very optimistic about the vote tally tonight,” the Louisiana Republican said. “We think this is going to happen, and we’re sorry that it took this long.”

Johnson placed the blame squarely on Democrats for dragging out the standoff. “They have a lot to answer for,” he said, noting that Senate Democrats rejected 14 short-term measures to reopen the government, while House Democrats blocked one.

“It was completely and utterly foolish and pointless in the end, as we’ve said all along,” Johnson said. “I just want to apologize to any Americans who are out there who still have flight cancellations or delays today. I want to apologize to the many American families who were made to go hungry over the last several weeks, our troops and other federal employees who were wondering where their next paycheck would come from. All of that’s on the Democrats.”

WATCH:

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, also a Louisiana Republican, said he’s hopeful the impasse will end within hours. “We’re going to get this government back open today,” Scalise told reporters.

He said debate on the funding bill will start around 5 p.m., with final votes expected between 7 and 7:30 p.m. “I’m very confident the bill’s going to pass,” Scalise said.

On the issue that sparked the shutdown — Democrats’ demand to extend health insurance tax credits — Scalise made clear House Republicans won’t make the same concessions their Senate counterparts did. “We’re always willing to work with Democrats to move good policy that helps American families,” he said, but drew a line on more Obamacare subsidies.

Asked whether he’d bring a Senate-passed Affordable Care Act measure to the 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 said.

The House is scheduled to meet at 4 p.m. to swear in Rep. Raúl Grijalva before taking up the rule for the spending bill, with the rule vote expected between 5 and 5:30 p.m. If adopted, that sets up final debate and a floor vote in the 7 p.m. hour — when Johnson says Washington’s shutdown saga should finally come to an end.

Download the FREE Trending Politics App to get the latest news FIRST >>