Rep. Mike Lawler and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries engaged in a heated confrontation on Capitol Hill over Obamacare subsidies during the eighth day of the government shutdown.
Tensions erupted on Capitol Hill Wednesday as two members of the House of Representatives got into a screaming match on the eighth day of the 2025 government shutdown.
Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., confronted House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., outside the latter’s news conference over a bipartisan compromise on enhanced Obamacare subsidies, a key flashpoint in the fight over federal funding.
He also taunted Jeffries about whether he would endorse Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani for mayor of New York City — which Jeffries did not answer.
« First of all, I don’t answer to you. You don’t even answer to yourself », Jeffries responded.
The heated exchange began with Lawler challenging Jeffries to sign onto bipartisan legislation extending COVID-19 pandemic-era enhancements to Obamacare subsidies for one year.
Those subsidies are set to expire at the end of 2025 without congressional action, and Democrats have been demanding that the issue be addressed before they would agree on a federal funding bill to end the shutdown.
« We’ve got a one-year extension, why don’t you sign on right now? » Lawler asked.
Jeffries responded angrily, « Did you get permission from your boss? Did your boss Donald Trump give you permission? »
« He’s not my boss », Lawler replied.
