The chairman of the House Rules Committee admonished a top Democrat for interrupting questioning during a critical hearing on the American Health Care Act, which has lasted about eight hours Wednesday.
Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, chairman of the committee, took umbrage to Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., asking to interject during a panel on the bill that would partially repeal and replace Obamacare.
“You’re a guest, a witness. You are not here to question the committee,” Sessions told Pallone, the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. “The committee is trying to get through this in less than 40 hours.”
Pallone and other Democrats are sitting on a panel with Republican leaders of the Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means committees, which drafted the bill.
“I simply asked him if he would yield,” Pallone said, referring to his request for a Republican on the rules committee to yield for additional time.
“If at any time you would like to leave you are welcome to,” Sessions responded.
Democrats on the panel appeared upset that they hadn’t been called on by Sessions to ask questions.
“The Democratic witnesses are just expected to sit here?” asked Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., a member of the rules committee.
Sessions said the committee is trying to get through everyone’s questions and pointed out he gave Democrats on the panel ample time to ask questions about the bill.
The heated exchange came after about eight hours.
The committee has yet to vote on a series of amendments, including one that makes several changes to the bill, including adding work requirements for Medicaid and letting states opt for block grants for federal Medicaid funding instead of per-capita caps.
