House Democrat leader engages in screaming match with Republican over shutdown

Tensions erupted on Capitol Hill on Wednesday when two members of the Home of Representatives received right into a shouting match on the eighth day of the 2025 authorities shutdown.

Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., confronted Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries, R-N.Y., outdoors the latter’s information convention on a bipartisan compromise on elevated ObamaCare subsidies, a serious flashpoint within the battle for federal funding.

He additionally taunted Jeffries, asking whether or not he would help democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani for mayor of New York Metropolis — to which Jeffries didn’t reply.

“Initially, I am not answering you. You do not even reply your self,” Jeffries replied.

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Rep. Mike Lawler confronts Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries on the eighth day of the federal government shutdown, Oct. 8, 2025. (Elizabeth Elkind/Fox Information Digital)

The heated trade started when Lawler challenged Jeffries to signal the bipartisan laws that extends COVID-19 pandemic-era enhancements to ObamaCare subsidies for an additional 12 months.

These subsidies are set to run out on the finish of 2025 with out congressional motion, and Democrats have demanded the problem be addressed earlier than agreeing on a federal funding invoice to finish the shutdown.

“We’ve got a one-year extension, why do not you signal instantly?” Lawler requested.

Jeffries responded angrily: “Did you get permission out of your boss? Did your boss Donald Trump provide you with permission?”

“He is not my boss,” Lawler replied.

The 2 males spoke for nearly 5 minutes, accusing one another’s social gathering of derailing the federal government.

“You are ashamed,” Jeffries stated, earlier than confronting him about his vote for President Donald Trump’s large coverage invoice, the One, Large Stunning Invoice Act.

“I voted for a tax minimize invoice that gave Individuals the biggest tax minimize in historical past, together with giving the common New Yorker a $4,000 tax minimize. Are you in opposition to that?’ Lawler requested.

Consultant Mike Lawler leaves after a Home Republican Convention assembly on March 4, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Tierney L. Cross/Getty Pictures)

Jeffries responded, “You are embarrassing your self. The most important minimize to Medicaid in American historical past – that is what you voted for.”

The Democratic chief of the Home of Representatives pointed his finger in Lawler’s chest and informed him, “You are not going to speak to me and speak over me since you do not wish to hear what I’ve to say.” So why do not you simply hold your mouth shut?’

“Oh, is that the way in which to speak?” Lawler replied.

They continued to debate the deserves of the Republicans’ coverage invoice, although Lawler repeatedly tried to ask Jeffries if he would signal the momentary extension of ObamaCare.

Jeffries then shifted the dialog to accusing Republicans within the Home of Representatives of staying of their districts throughout the federal government shutdown — one thing Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., urged them to do to maintain the DC concentrate on Senate Democrats who rejected the Republican Get together’s funding invoice.

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“You needed the Republicans to be right here, I am right here,” Lawler stated. “And in addition to, you possibly can cross one [Affordable Care Act] enlargement now. Signal this invoice.”

Jeffries requested, “Mike, is your boss Donald Trump behind it?”

He argued that it could take extra Republicans than those that signed the laws to get it into the Home of Representatives because the battle additional spiraled into insults.

“Are you mathematically challenged, brother?” Jeffries requested.

Lawler stated, “No, I feel so. You may have 215 Democrats.”

Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer stroll to talk to members of the media after a gathering on the White Home on September 29, 2025. (Annabelle Gordon/Bloomberg through Getty Pictures)

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The battle got here hours after Johnson confronted a pair of Senate Democrats outdoors his workplace who demanded the Republican chief administer the oath of workplace to Rep.-elect. Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz.

Senate Democrats rejected the Republican Get together-led funding invoice for the sixth time on Wednesday, just about guaranteeing the shutdown will final right into a ninth day.

The Home of Representatives handed a invoice to increase federal funding ranges for the 2025 fiscal 12 months by means of Nov. 21, giving lawmakers extra time to succeed in a longer-term deal on fiscal 2026 spending.

However Democrats, livid at being sidelined in federal funding talks, have largely stated they’ll reject any deal that doesn’t embrace an extension of the expiring ObamaCare subsidies.