Democratic Lawmaker In Awe Over GOP Colleagues: 'What's Wrong With You People?'

Speaking on the House floor, Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) tore into his colleagues on the other side of the aisle, frustrated with their apparent willingness to shepherd a version of President Donald Trump’s so-called Big Beautiful Bill into law.

“I say to my Republican colleagues: What’s wrong with you people?” McGovern said Wednesday during a period of debate on the massive piece of legislation.

As ranking member of the House Rules Committee, McGovern oversaw his party’s speaking time on the floor. The Democrats used it to hammer home the impact the bill would have on essential government benefits, with big cuts to the SNAP food assistance program and Medicaid.

“In this bill, you provide a $2 billion tax break for gun silencers, but you cut SNAP benefits for vulnerable families, which, by the way, is on average $2 per person, per meal,” McGovern went on, raising his arms for emphasis.

“Jesus Christ, what are you people thinking?” he added.

The Republicans’ bill includes an array of tax breaks that benefit only small segments of the population. One of them removes a $200 tax on gun silencers, or suppressors, that would cost about $1.5 billion, according to Everytown for Gun Safety.

SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, has helped people living at or below the federal poverty line since the Great Depression. If Republicans get their way, millions of Americans on the program would see their benefits shrink or disappear entirely.

With McGovern’s help, some 100 Democrats took the podium on Wednesday to ask their Republican colleagues for permission to introduce an amendment to Trump’s bill that would shield Medicaid and SNAP programs from cuts.

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), chair of the House Rules Committee, refused to give in, requiring Speaker Pro Tempore Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) to deny each person in turn. The Democratic action began with members of the Congressional Black Caucus, but soon evolved to include members of all backgrounds.

At one point, McGovern asked Foxx for some of her time slots because so few Republicans were standing up on the floor to defend the legislation.

“Nice try, Mr. McGovern,” Foxx replied.

McGovern responded: “In Congress, we can measure how much people really believe in their position by whether they’re willing to come and join their leaders on the House floor. I count four members on the Republican side. We’ve got over 75 over here. But if I were them, I wouldn’t want to be associated with this bill, either.”

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McGovern previously called out Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) for voicing opposition to the version of the bill her chamber produced but voting for it anyway. Murkowski had managed to carve out exceptions for her state, shielding her constituents from the worst of the bill.