Utah Sen. John Curtis on Friday became the first Republican senator to directly call on Speaker Mike Johnson to bring the House of Representatives back into session amid the government shutdown.
“Speaker Johnson, I love you, I love what you’ve done, but it’s time to come back to work,” Curtis said on the C-SPAN program “Ceasefire.”
The House is entering its sixth week of recess after Republicans passed a continuing resolution, then left town as the shutdown started. Johnson has insisted that the House has done its job and will return when Senate Democrats give the votes Republicans need on a funding bill to reopen the government.
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In the interview on Friday, Curtis, a first-term senator, said Congress should be using the shutdown as an opportunity to take back some power from the executive branch and “step up.”
“There’s a big part of me that wants to say, ‘We can do this ourselves,’” Curtis said.
Some Senate and House Republicans have begun to voice frustration with the House remaining at home as the shutdown grows longer. Meanwhile, Senate and House Democrats have consistently called for Johnson to return the House to session, using it as a talking point against Republicans.
Democratic Rep. Scott Peters, appearing on the panel with Curtis, recalled working during previous government shutdowns as a House member.
“In previous shutdowns, we weren’t allowed to go home,” Peters said.
“I think Scott will agree, this is the strangest shutdown ever,” Curtis added.
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