Rep. Houlahan Urges Bipartisan Solutions Amid Ongoing Government Shutdown

During a House Republican press conference on Wednesday, Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.) made a pointed interruption, urging Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to rally both parties toward resolving the ongoing government shutdown.

Houlahan’s comments came as Johnson was fielding questions on the steps of Parliament House. He notably reacted to the first reporter’s inquiry by asserting his position as “Speaker of the whole House.”

In response, the Prime Minister commented, “I’m going to hold a press conference, thank you,” while Houlahan identified herself, stating, “I am a member of the American people.”

“Freedom of speech must be respected,” Johnson reiterated, expressing a willingness to discuss matters with Houlahan in the Oval Office.

“I call on the leaders of both parties to unite us and solve this problem together,” Houlahan insisted.

Johnson reflected on recent meetings involving himself, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Senate Majority Leader John Thune (D-N.Y.), and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) with President Trump, which took place shortly before the shutdown.

During the commotion, a Capitol Police officer approached Houlahan but quickly withdrew upon recognizing her as a member of Congress.

As of Wednesday, the shutdown had stretched to its 36th day, marking it as the longest in U.S. history.

Throughout the shutdown, Republicans have urged Senate Democrats to support a “clean” stopgap bill proposed by Republicans to maintain current funding levels until Nov. 21. On the other hand, Democrats have demanded negotiations on healthcare expansions, specifically regarding Obamacare subsidies set to expire at year’s end, before agreeing to fund the government.

Johnson confronted Houlahan, saying, “You voted to shut down the government. You voted to end SNAP benefits. You voted not to support the military or the TSA, and you may regret it now, but it’s on record.”

The two representatives exchanged words back and forth.

“You are completely distorting history and unnecessarily dividing the American people,” Houlahan shot back. “I don’t regret anything. We must work together for the American people.”

Post-conference, Houlahan shared with reporters that she felt compelled to exit the press conference, citing a lack of concrete steps from Johnson towards compromise with Democratic leaders.

“This is not a mandate. This president does not have a mandate. We deserve a real dialogue. We have a right to engage with both the Senate and the House,” she stated.

She highlighted significant Democratic victories in recent elections across states like New Jersey and Virginia, accusing Johnson of misrepresenting the situation to the public.

Houlahan dismissed the notion of negotiating after Democrats agree to reopen the government, expressing concerns about the administration’s trustworthiness. “He should be just as angry as I am. He has abdicated his authority and responsibility in managing Congress’s budgetary power,” she concluded.