As week two of the federal government shutdown began, House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) held a press conference reaffirming his party’s commitment to holding its ground on the sticking points of ACA subsidies extensions and reversing OBBBA-enacted Medicaid cuts. As seen below, Jeffries invited Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) up to the podium.
McGovern said: “You know, Republicans love to advocate for more work requirements for poor people, for people on SNAP, people on Medicaid, well, I got an idea, let’s have a work requirement for Republicans to show up to Congress and do your [expletive] job.”
I got an idea: let’s put work requirements on Members of Congress. Maybe that’ll make Republicans come back to Washington and reopen the government?
pic.twitter.com/e77KHBEUoy— Rep. Jim McGovern (@RepMcGovern) October 9, 2025
The Congressman added: “Millions of people are about to lose their health care, this is a serious crisis we’re in and we could avoid it…They need to show up.”
McGovern’s suggestion is receiving mostly criticism from Trump supporters who blame Democrats for not signing the GOP’s stopgap bill. Others are voicing their support for McGovern’s idea and included more suggestions.
Susan McChesney replied: “Work requirements, no pensions other than 401’s you contribute to, same health insurance as everyone else, can’t vote in your own raises, term limits. Make it so for both sides of the aisle. Also, if the government is shut down, you forfeit pay for the entire time its closed.”
McGovern’s exhortation calling Republicans back to the office takes on added significance because with the House out of session Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has yet to swear in Adelita Grijalva, the Democrat who won a special congressional election in Arizona weeks ago.
Many Democrats, including Grijalva, have speculated that Johnson has failed to swear in the newly elected congresswoman because she represents the final signature needed on Kentucky Republican Thomas Massey‘s discharge petition to compel a vote on the full release of the Epstein files.