House Speaker Mike Johnson recently appeared on “Sunday Morning Futures” with Maria Bartiromo to address the impending Continuing Resolution (CR) necessary to avert a federal government shutdown. In his statements, he asserted that Democratic leaders were obstructing progress for political purposes.
“We are now less than 72 hours from a potential shutdown. Our priority as Republicans is to secure a clean Continuing Resolution,” Bartiromo noted solemnly.
Following this, she revealed that the Office of Management and Budget has directed federal agencies to brace for significant staffing cuts during any possible shutdown, focusing particularly on positions and programs that are not mandated by law to continue operating.
“What are you expecting from your meeting at the White House tomorrow? Is there hope to prevent this shutdown?” Bartiromo pressed Johnson.
“I certainly have my fingers crossed. The goal of tomorrow’s meeting is for the President to bring together leaders from both parties to engage in productive dialogue. I spoke extensively with him yesterday, and he intends to urge Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries to cease their political maneuvering,” Johnson explained.
The Speaker elaborated on the traditional functions of Congress, emphasizing that legislators are expected to deliberate on bills year-round to ensure the responsible management of taxpayer funds—which, he lamented, hasn’t been the norm for quite some time.
“Federal law stipulates that Congress must pass 12 distinct appropriations bills each year. This is the only way to safeguard taxpayer interests, reduce spending, and enhance governmental accountability,” Johnson asserted.
“Regrettably, we haven’t adhered to this practice in years. Instead, we often resort to a massive omnibus spending bill at the year’s end, essentially procrastinating our responsibilities,” he observed.
“For the first time since 2019, we now have a genuine conference committee composed of both chambers to harmonize our differences,” Johnson remarked proudly.
However, he lamented that Senator Schumer was more preoccupied with escalating federal spending than collaborating to pass the resolution.
“In response to bipartisan efforts to reach a workable solution, Schumer rejected it outright. He suggested instead to inject an additional $1.5 trillion into a mere seven-week stopgap bill and to reinstate taxpayer-funded free healthcare for undocumented immigrants,” Johnson critiqued.
This prompted Bartiromo to question, “How can we even talk about reverting to pre-COVID spending when certain subsidies from that period are still in play?”
“At this stage, we simply need a stopgap funding measure to keep the government operational while these critical discussions take place,” Johnson replied.
“The singular motivation behind Schumer and Jeffries’ agenda is their desire to create conflict,” he concluded, arguing that while Republicans aim to keep the governmental doors open, the Democrats seem intent on closing them.
Watch:
Today on @SundayFutures with @MariaBartiromo, House Speaker Mike Johnson @SpeakerJohnson discussed the Democrats’ opposition to passing a clean CR to keep the federal government operational. @FoxNews pic.twitter.com/mwQdbWf7D0
— SundayMorningFutures (@SundayFutures) September 28, 2025
