A large and supportive crowd filled the Horseshoe Casino Riverdome in Bossier City Wednesday for a joint Bossier-Shreveport Chambers of Commerce chat with Rep. Mike Johnson, R-Benton.
The House Speaker was able to fly home after giving his chamber a “district work period” until October 1.
Though before the break the house narrowly approved a continuing resolution to fund the government, a possible government shutdown is still very much in play and it was on Johnson’s mind.
He told the crowd that the Democrats’ push to put funding back into health care, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and “a laundry list of other things” has been a nonstarter. “So we’ll see how long this drags out,” he said. “I think it’s going to backfire, because I don’t think people have a lot of appetite for that, but I don’t think it [government] closes. I don’t think it will be closed long.”
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson answers question during an event in the Riverdome at Horseshoe Casino and Hotel in Bossier City, La., Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025. He is joined on stage by Timothy Magner, president of Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce, and Lisa Johnson, president/CEO of Bossier Chamber of Commerce.
By JILL PICKETT | Staff photographer
The next hour was dedicated to questions from members of the audience, gently lobbed by Bossier City Chamber President Lisa Johnson and Greater Shreveport Chamber’s Tim Magner.
Completing the I-49 Inner City Connector
Johnson said permitting and litigation have been to blame.
“What we learned in that arduous process over the years is that the bureaucracy can hold up a project if they don’t want it, because there’s such a labyrinth of red tape and things that you have to get through in order to build a project like that, that it can be held off indefinitely, in spite of the best efforts of everybody at the federal, state, and local level.”
One questioner was concerned about how limiting H-1B visas for highly skilled and specially educated foreign workers and charging $100,000 to apply for one would help Bossier City compete and attract companies.
Johnson admitted that in some areas there is a shortage of skill and talent that the visas can fill.
“And so that has to be factored in. As the policy settles out, Congress will have much to say about this as well, and there’ll be some vigorous debates in the days ahead, but when there is an acknowledgement, and we have to acknowledge very squarely and soberly that we have in some of these highly technical areas, a shortage of qualified personnel, but we want to make sure that we’re pursuing America’s interest first, and when they come in, there’s certain stipulations that they’ll follow.”
From that, Johnson jumped to his belief that there is a need for a less-skilled migrant workforce in many areas of the economy.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson answers a question during an event in the Riverdome at Horseshoe Casino and Hotel in Bossier City, La., Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025.
By JILL PICKETT | Staff photographer
“To be frank, we really do need, and I think everybody here will attest we really do need to address the migrant workforce problem, because in areas not just hospitality, construction, but the agriculture community and so many areas of the economy, there is a reliance upon people who are law abiding, we’re talking about the people who come from another country, they work as a seasonal worker, and then they go back home. That system has worked well, but many believe that we don’t have enough of those visas available to supply the workforce and the talent that we need.
“You have very faithful migrant workers from Mexico, for example, who’ve been coming over for some of the 20 years in a row. They come, they harvest the crawfish, and then they go back home. And that is a win win for everybody, and we need them.
“It affects everybody. It’s not a Republican or Democrat issue, it’s an America issue, and we’ve got a lot to figure out.”
On tariffs
Johnson said he knows that tariffs have created uncertainty for the business community but they will end up being a positive for the economy and consumers.
He said manufacturers that require specialized products not made in the U.S. have been able to find some relief by making the case to the president’s economic advisors.
“I think in the days ahead, there’s going to be a lot more certainty, and these final trade agreements will be resolved, and I think these component parts that are so important to make products in America will be flowing, and you won’t have high tariffs on those items so that we can produce the goods. The whole thing about reassuring is we want everything to be made in America, everything that’s possible to be made here.”
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson answers a question during an event in the Riverdome at Horseshoe Casino and Hotel in Bossier City, La., Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025.
By JILL PICKETT | Staff photographer
Barksdale’s long-term mission
Johnson said he regularly advocates for Barksdale Air Force Base and Global Strike Command, and recently, talked to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth about the need for the base’s long-range bombers.
“There’s a lot of emphasis right now being placed upon preparation for what could be a coming conflict with China, for example, in the Indo Pacific.
“If there is a conflict with China, we desperately need even more so to have our long range bombers prepared and ready, because they will hold the other terrorists and tyrants at bay around the world.”
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson speaks during an event in the Riverdome at Horseshoe Casino and Hotel in Bossier City, La., Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025.
By JILL PICKETT | Staff photographer
Freedom of speech concerns
Before leaving, Johnson addressed a question about ABC’s short term removal of late night host Jimmy Kimmel and freedom of speech.
“I’ve spent a career defending the First Amendment and religious liberty and free speech as well all of our inalienable rights, and it has to be jealously guarded and protected.
“ABC is a private company. It’s not the government, and they have a choice to make, a decision to make with regard to who they want to effectively wear their brand and promote their brand.” Johnson said taking remedial action against employees is a private company’s right.
“It is a conservative principle that we do not censor and silence disfavored speech. It is an American principle. It’s one of the bedrock, foundational principles of our Constitution and our country.
“People are allowed to say whatever crazy thing they want, but there is a limit to that. You cannot incite violence. You cannot yell fire in a theater, the famous example everybody recognizes. So we’ve got to handle that in a very careful way, to protect freedom, but also protect people. And I think it’s an important debate that we’re having.”