It must be liberating for Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson (LA-04) this lame duck session.
As RedState reported, now that Republicans have been driven into the minority, Johnson has demurred from putting his hat in the ring for leadership, leaving the food fights to come to a new minority leader, which at this writing is between Rep. Jim Jordan (OH-04) and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (LA-01). So, while Republicans are beating the drum about getting as much as possible done in the 55 days left before the new blue-majority Congress is sworn in, Johnson seems pretty much sanguine about the whole thing.
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In a recent press scrum, Johnson began:
Let me say this, okay? We tabulated how many bills were actually passed, because we lose track of it on any given day. In the 119th Congress, the House Republicans led in the majority, we have passed 1,000 measures out of the House.
But as President Donald Trump said during his Midterm Blitz, the Senate is the place where bills go to die. Johnson appears to agree with him.
Johnson continued:
Almost 700 of them are stacked up in the hopper in the Senate right now. Why? Because the Senate Democrats refused to move any legislation. They did not want to give the president or Republicans any more wins as we went into this election cycle.
That was obvious. While Johnson didn’t go there, the rest of us will. The feckless leadership of Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) was also a reason why nothing was moved through. Instead, Johnson simply drew the line straight to the Senate’s door.
So, the question really is for the Senate.
The House will work. We will stay here around the clock if necessary to push things over.
We got things pending over there now, big things. The Farm Bill. The NDAA. You’ve got FISA. You’ve got a Reconciliation Bill that is still sitting there. We have government funding issues. They didn’t even pass a single Appropriations Bill in the Senate. It’s been a great frustration to us.
If Johnson is frustrated, how does he think the average American feels? After this election, he and the rest of Congress now know.
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To be frank, Johnson’s role as House Speaker is more challenging, because he has 217 Republican representatives to wrangle and factions to keep in line. The House took the assignment seriously: secure President Donald Trump’s agenda.
The Senate? Asleep at the uniparty wheel.
Johnson continued:
The House has been one of the most productive chambers, the most productive Houses in the history of the institution, certainly in the modern era. But the Senate blocked it all. And so, the question is, what are we going to be able to accomplish in this lame duck? We really have to ask the Senate.
Because the House is willing and able to pass, and continue to move legislation. But it hits a stone wall over there.
Johnson did express some optimism that the Senate might finally do its job.
So, I’m hopeful that their leadership elections get resolved quickly and that they can move things. There’s some good indication just here within the last hour, I’m told they got to cloture to move forward on the Permitting Bill, which is a big, important thing.
We have things like the College Sports Bills that are still pending. There’s all sorts of really important initiatives, the Rate Payer Protection Act, you know, and all the rest.
So, the question is for the Senate, not the House.
Meeoww! Johnson affirmed that under his leadership, the House would be faithful to fulfill its duties.
We’ll get our job done, we’ll have the personnel here to get the legislation passed. And we certainly hope we can have a very, very productive lame duck and send much more to the president’s desk before we have to turn the keys over in January.
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Frankly, in the cold, harsh light of history and legacy, Johnson will ultimately ride out on a high note. The same cannot be said for Senate Majority Leader John Thune.
WATCH:
🔥🚨 HOLY CRAP! — Speaker Mike Johnson reveals there are OVER 700+ pieces of legislation waiting for the SENATE TO VOTE ON THEM.
SEN. JOHN THUNE IS A FAILURE!
“In the 119th Congress, the House Republicans led in the majority. We have passed 1,000 measures out of the House.”… pic.twitter.com/DxTuBnWn6A
— The Patriot Oasis™ (@ThePatriotOasis) November 10, 2026
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