House hearing erupts as lawmakers clash over government shutdown bill
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Tensions flared at a hearing in Parliament on Tuesday night to advance legislation aimed at ending the government shutdown, with two senior lawmakers on opposite sides of the aisle on the issue.
House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., began the hearing with Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., the top Democrat on the House Rules Committee. He clashed with many times. Cole accused Democrats of derailing the federal government, while McGovern took issue with the GOP’s refusal to include provisions extending expiring enhanced Obamacare subsidies into the funding bill.
“This is what you said you would never do. ‘We will never shut down the government. We will never do this.’ Shortly after, House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., said that’s exactly what you’re doing. “You’re putting thousands of people out of work.”
Emphasizing that his voters are “screwed up”, McGovern said, “You have tried more than 50 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the official name of Obamacare.”
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House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole sparred with Rep. Jim McGovern, the top Democrat on the House Rules Committee, during a hearing on a bill to end the government shutdown. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images; Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
He said he’s getting calls from “out of their minds” constituents trying to figure out how to pay for health care without subsidies.
“The most pressing crisis in my district is the thousands of workers you and your colleagues have laid off and are not getting paid,” Cole said.
“They’re the ones who keep the planes flying. They’re the ones who build the national weather center. They’re wondering why they’re not getting paid.”
McGovern fired back: “Don’t you get any calls about health care?”
“We could have these discussions, we could have these discussions. Why are they being held hostage?” Cole continued.
“The health issue you mentioned is a benefit you gave yourself, you said it was COVID related… You have created the most urgent crisis in my district. My people are not getting money thanks to you and your colleagues.”
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The United States Capitol building is seen on December 2, 2024 in Washington DC, United States. (Celal Güneş/Anadolu via Getty Images)
McGovern, who tried to intervene multiple times, said, “So there’s no one complaining about health care in your district?” he said.
Cole admitted: “People complain about everything everywhere, but you asked me what were the most important calls I ever got -“
McGovern interrupted him: “—We have a chance to do something about this.”
“—’Why am I not getting paid? Why am I being furloughed?'” Cole continued.
“We have a chance to do something that will help millions of people afford health insurance. And you’re all telling me you’re not interested,” McGovern said.
House Rules Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx, R.N.C., was ignored as she repeatedly banged her gavel to give orders.
Cole, meanwhile, said the subsidies “have nothing to do with the work of my committee.”
“But you want to take over my committee,” McGovern continued, before interrupting him again, accusing Republicans of voting for a “tax cut for millionaires and billionaires” on the GOP’s “big, beautiful bill” earlier this year.
House Rules Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx, RN.C., leaves the House Republican Conference meeting at the Capitol Hill Club on Wednesday, May 16, 2018. (Bill Clark/CQ Polling via Getty Images)
“But can’t you extend these for humans?” McGovern asked.
The House Rules Committee is the final hurdle for most legislation before it gets a Housewide vote. Lawmakers on a key panel vote to advance a bill while setting conditions for its consideration, such as possible amendment votes and timing of debate.
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The current funding bill is expected to advance through committee along party lines. Democrats on the panel will likely oppose the measure in line with House Democratic leaders, while Republicans have not signaled meaningful opposition.
A majority of House Democrats have threatened to oppose the bill because of its exclusion of enhanced Obamacare credits, despite the legislation having the support of eight members of their own party in the Senate.
Republican leaders have signaled a willingness to discuss reforms to the system they criticize as flawed. However, they rejected the idea of pairing a health care expansion with a federal funding bill normally largely free of partisan policy biases.
