Pappas Backs Rule Change to Require the U.S. House to Stay in Session During a Government Shutdown

As Speaker Mike Johnson refuses for a fourth week to bring the House back in session and continues Republican inaction on the federal government shutdown, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) joined colleagues in fighting to change House rules and require that the House stay in session during future shutdowns. 

While federal workers are showing up for work without pay, lawmakers can continue to receive payment, even as they are not working. Pappas is foregoing his own paycheck for the duration of the government shutdown.

Among its provisions, the rules change would:

• Keep Lawmakers in Washington: The House must meet at least five days per week until government funding is restored.
• Limit Adjournments of the U.S. House: Lawmakers can only adjourn once every five days and only for a maximum of two days total.
• Require Daily Accountability for Attendance: Each day begins with a quorum call to ensure that Representatives are showing up for work.
• Institute Real Consequences: Any Representative who misses two consecutive days of quorum calls without permission would be fined.

“It was another week that Speaker Mike Johnson canceled votes, told members not to come to work in D.C., and kept the government closed with no end in sight. It’s been over a month since the House of Representatives even held a vote while hardworking federal employees and service members go without pay. This proposal is simple: the House doesn’t go home until our job is done. We must be in Washington doing the work to reopen the government and make sure people’s insurance premiums don’t massively increase,” said Congressman Pappas.

Background: 

Pappas has consistently advocated for Republicans in Congress to work with Democrats to produce a bipartisan funding agreement that helps working families and small businesses. He joined more than 50 of his colleagues in calling out Speaker Mike Johnson’s irresponsible decision to cancel House voting days with no government funding deal in sight. 

Pappas supported the passage of the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act (GEFTA) of 2019 in the 116th Congress, which was signed into law by President Trump, and joined a bipartisan, bicameral letter this month demanding the Trump administration follow the law. In the 119th Congress, he has also helped reintroduce the Pay Our Troops Act of 2026. This bipartisan legislation would ensure that members of the U.S. Armed Forces, including those serving in the Coast Guard, continue to receive pay and benefits in the event of a government shutdown. Pappas also helped introduce the Pay Our Public Shipyard Workers Act with Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander to pay public shipyard workers during government shutdowns.