Johnson diminishes House's role in shutdown, 'It doesn't matter what we do'
House Speaker Mike Johnson warned Wednesday that the impacts of the government shutdown this week are "getting really tough for the American people" and placed the onus squarely on Democrats.
"You've got families and children that rely upon SNAP benefits that are going to go hungry here at the end of the week," he said at a news conference.

Johnson downplayed pushback from Republicans who want the House to return to session amid the ongoing government shutdown.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene spoke up on a private GOP conference call Tuesday and urged leadership to bring the House back as well as articulate a plan to address the expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits.
"By our count, there are about three or four members of the House Republican conference who have only mildly questioned working in the districts as opposed to being here on the floor," Johnson said.
The speaker bluntly stated that bringing the House back in session would be a "futile exercise" when asked about the need to pass another bill to fund the government as the Nov. 21 date approaches.
"If I brought the House back and we passed another CR, it would meet the exact same fate from Chuck Schumer," Johnson said. "He would mock it. They would spike it, and they would try to blame it on us. So, what is the point?"

Johnson added that "it doesn't matter what we do in the House," diminishing the chamber's role in the shutdown.
-ABC News' Lauren Peller







