GOP Chair Not Pleased Spicer Said All Members Could Try To Amend Health Bill

UNITED STATES - NOVEMBER 2 - Chairman Pete Sessions, R-Texas, speaks during a House Rules Committee meeting on "Developing a Reliable and Innovative Vision for the Economy (DRIVE) Act" on Capitol Hill in Washington, ... UNITED STATES - NOVEMBER 2 - Chairman Pete Sessions, R-Texas, speaks during a House Rules Committee meeting on "Developing a Reliable and Innovative Vision for the Economy (DRIVE) Act" on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, November 2, 2015. (Photo By Al Drago/CQ Roll Call) (CQ Roll Call via AP Images) MORE LESS
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White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer appears to have irked the Republican chair of the House Rules Committee by telling reporters that all members would be able to offer amendments to the bill to repeal and replace Obamacare.

“I will just point blank say that I would encourage Mr. Spicer if he thinks he’s going to start talking about my business to give me a darn call,” House Rules Committee Chair Pete Sessions (R-TX) said when asked about Spicer’s comments on Wednesday. “I try not to get in his business, and I don’t appreciate him getting in my business.”

Spicer made the comments at the White House press briefing, telling reporters that “every member of the House and Senate will be able to have their opportunity to have amendments offered through the committee process and on the floor.”

Following the press secretary’s remarks, Democratic members of the Rules Committee asked Sessions during a committee meeting about Spicer’s remarks and whether Democratic members of the committee would be able to offer amendments to the health bill. At the time, the committee had not yet determined the rules for amendments for the legislation, according to Buzzfeed News.

In response to Democrats’ questions, Sessions told Spicer to stay out of his “business.” He later added that Spicer is an “awesome guy” and a “friend,” per Buzzfeed News.

Watch clips from the exchange via MSNBC:

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Notable Replies

  1. “Every member…” translation: a handful of committee members will weld together boilerplate legislation pre-writtten by special interest campaign donors, Republican members get to attach a freight train of pork and unrelated axe-grinding legislation, and the Democrats may as well stay at home for all he cares.

  2. ve vill allow NO deviation from strict party line… HEIL!!! I mean… have a good day and think for yourself…

    if you know what’s good for you…

  3. Shorter Pete Sessions “We can’t let anybody amend this thing, hell they could screw it up and make health care insurance more affordable or available for the working poor.”

  4. It’s almost as if Spicey was trying to get fired. Guess the book deal would be worth more than if he were to quit.

  5. Sessions needs to give Spicer a little wiggle room he knows he is under a tremendous amount of pressure trying to explain the unexplainable.

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