Shutdown tensions lead to heated confrontations on Capitol Hill
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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Rep. Mike Lawler argue about Affordable Care Act tax credits at the U.S. Capitol on Oct. 8. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Congress erupted into testy confrontations and shouting matches on Wednesday as lawmakers grow increasingly frustrated that the federal government remains shut down.
Why it matters: It's not just Republicans and Democrats fighting each other — the tensions are starting to spill over into clashes between lawmakers of the same party.
- Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is facing a growing GOP revolt demanding he stop keeping the House out of session and hold votes on appropriations bills and military pay.
- Democrats are at odds over a bill to temporarily extend the expiring Affordable Care Act credits that they are trying to make permanent.
Driving the news: Sens. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) kicked things off Wednesday by confronting Johnson outside his Capitol Hill office for delaying the swearing in of Rep-elect Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.).
- Democrats have railed against Johnson for refusing to swear Grijalva in until the shutdown ends and the House returns to session, accusing him of wanting to block a vote on releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files.
- "You just don't want her to be on the Epstein discharge petition," Gallego told Johnson, who responded that the claim is "totally absurd" and said, "You guys are experts at red herrings and distractions."
- Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) then stepped into the heated exchange to tell the two senators to "go down the hall and go vote to open the government up."
Zoom in: Then it was Republicans' turn to do the confronting, with Lawler waiting outside House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries' (D-N.Y.) press conference to urge him to sign onto the temporary ACA extension bill.
- "You're making a show of this to make yourself relevant," Jeffries said. "You're an embarrassment."
- "The only embarrassment here is you," Lawler responded. "My constituents are suffering as a result of your ridiculous ploy."
- Lawler also pressed Jeffries on whether he plans to endorse Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor — a sore spot for Jeffries, who said, "I don't answer to you."
On the House floor, a group of Democrats tried again to get the House to swear in Grijalva during its pro forma session. They were unsuccessful.
- Rep. Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho) quickly gaveled the House back out of session following the prayer and the pledge over the shouts of Democrats gathered in the chamber.
- "This is undemocratic," yelled Rep. Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.), a mild-mannered centrist who led the demonstration.
Between the lines: Republicans and Democrats are also fighting among themselves, with Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.), a moderate with a large centrist constituency, calling out Johnson for ruling out a standalone vote to keep military servicemembers paid.
- "I'm urging the Speaker and our House leadership to immediately pass my bill to ensure our servicemembers ... receive the pay they've earned," Kiggans said in a statement to Axios.
- Several other House Republicans — including Reps. Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) — called for the House to return and vote on annual appropriations bills rather than the seven-week spending measure they passed last month.
The other side: For Democrats, the internal fight is over a bill Kiggans introduced with Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) to extend ACA tax credits for one year, rather than the permanent extension Democrats have been demanding.
- Jeffries, asked about the bill Tuesday, told reporters: "It's a laughable proposition. It makes no sense ... The Democratic position has been clear: Permanent extension, and let's go from there."
- Suozzi followed up in a statement: "Republicans and Democrats both need to step up to the negotiating table. ... We can't afford to remain in a stalemate, each side waiting for the other to blink."
- Jeffries then appeared to soften at his press conference the following day: "At the end of the day, the caucus, in good faith, will evaluate anything presented from the Senate, but ... it has to be meaningful."
