Staff Reports
House Speaker Mike Johnson recently took his case to the cameras and put the blame where he thinks it belongs: the Senate. Johnson says the House passed roughly 1,000 measures this Congress and that “Almost 700 of them are stacked up in the hopper in the Senate right now.” He made plain that, in his view, the real test of the lame‑duck will be whether the Senate moves those bills — or leaves them to rust.
Johnson lays the blame at the Senate’s feet
At a press scrum, Speaker Mike Johnson cut to the chase: “The question really is for the Senate.” That line was not subtle. He accused Senate Democrats and Senate leadership of refusing to give the House and the president wins before the midterms. Whether you cheer that or roll your eyes, Johnson’s message was clear — the House has been working and the Senate has been blocking.
What’s stuck in the Senate hopper
Johnson named the big-ticket items that he says are waiting: the Farm Bill, the NDAA, FISA-related measures, a reconciliation package, and the full slate of appropriations. He also cited the Permitting Bill, college sports reforms, and a Rate Payer Protection Act. If even half of those are truly sitting idle, that’s a lot of votes and a lot of campaign promises on hold.
Why this matters for Republicans and the country
The timing is awkward for Senate Republicans. Speaker Johnson has signaled he won’t run for House GOP minority leader, leaving a leadership fight between Representative Jim Jordan and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise. Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader John Thune faces pressure after a tough midterm cycle. Johnson’s public finger-pointing is a political play aimed at both the voters and the Republican base: he wants the Senate to either lead or take the blame.
Bottom line: Johnson says the House will keep working through the lame‑duck. His challenge to the Senate is simple — move the bills or own the fallout. If the Senate answers with action, Republicans can claim wins. If it doesn’t, the voters will notice who left the ledger full and the voters’ laundry unwashed. Either way, the next few weeks will tell whether the Senate wants the credit — or the blame.
