Politics
Republican Defies Johnson’s Shutdown Strategy, Demands Return to Work
By Jake Beardslee · October 13, 2025
Kiley Calls for Immediate Session
Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.) publicly urged Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to bring the House of Representatives back into session despite the ongoing federal government shutdown. Speaking with CNN’s Manu Raju on Sunday, Kiley said there are “a lot of reasons” lawmakers should return to work. Jack Gruber / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Disagreement With Johnson’s Approach
When Raju asked what he would say to Johnson—who recently claimed there was “no reason for the House to come back into session”—Kiley pushed back firmly. “We were supposed to be in session the last two weeks,” he said, emphasizing that the House has regular business to handle even amid a shutdown. Mike Chapman/Record Searchlight via Imagn Content Services, LLC
Shutdown Heightens Need for Action
Kiley argued that the ongoing federal shutdown underscored the need for Congress to return to Washington. The fact that there’s a shutdown, he said, “is all the more reason” lawmakers should be in session to resolve it. His remarks signaled a clear departure from Johnson’s current approach of keeping the chamber closed and steering clear of negotiations with Democrats. Kendall Hoopes / Pexels
Calls for Grijalva to Be Sworn In
Raju later shared Kiley’s remarks on social media, writing, “GOP Rep. Kevin Kiley breaks with the speaker’s strategy of keeping House closed and not negotiating with Ds.” He added that Kiley also voiced support for swearing in a new member, saying, “There’s a duly elected member of Congress from that district, and she should be sworn in. I don’t know why this is an issue.” Smadiva, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons