Jeffries, Lawler argue in Capitol hallway over Obamacare amid government shutdown: 'Embarrassment'

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries and GOP Rep. Mike Lawler argued with each other Wednesday in a Capitol Hill hallway over the extension of Obamacare subsidies amid the government shutdown, with both calling the other an "embarrassment."

The heated exchange between the two New York congressmen began when Lawler approached Jeffries he came from the House Democratic leadership press conference, telling him to sign a proposal that would extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies by one year, The Hill news outlet reported.

Extending the subsidies has been a key demand of Democrats to end the government shutdown, but Jeffries had earlier called the GOP-led one-year extension with bipartisan support a “nonstarter.”

“Why don’t we sign on right now? Why don’t we sign on right now?” Lawler said to Jeffries. “You can easily extend the ACA right now.”

Jeffries avoided answering the question, calling Lawler an “embarrassment” and asking whether he got “permission from your boss” to approach him.

“Did your boss, Donald Trump, give you permission?” Jeffries asked, talking over Lawler.

“He’s not my boss,” Lawler responded.

“Yes, he is,” Jeffries said.

“No, he’s not,” Lawler asserted.

The Republican then asked Jeffries why he would “vote to shut the government down,” but the Democrat didn't respond. Instead, he accused Lawler of manufacturing the confrontation with him to boost his own political profile.

“You’re making a show of this to make yourself relevant,” Jeffries told Lawler, as they talked over each other, surrounded by reporters recording the incident on their cellphones. “You’re embarrassing yourself right now.”

“It’s sad. It’s sad. You could easily sign on to this,” Lawler said about the GOP funding bill, before responding to Jeffries: “The only embarrassment here is you.”

“You’re chasing clout. You’re an embarrassment,” Jeffries said to Lawler.

As the confrontation got more heated, Jeffries said, “You’re not going to talk to me and talk over me because you don’t want to hear what I have to say. Why don’t you just keep your mouth shut?”