House Dem reveals why she hijacked Speaker Johnson's presser with viral outburst

By Fox News · Fox News

Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., defended her interruption of Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson's press conference that went viral this week, arguing her rage was justifiable because Johnson has been unwilling to negotiate with Democratic Party leaders to reopen the government. GOP lawmakers have argued the two warring parties could agree to a budget resolution and negotiate public healthcare subsidies – which Democrats are holding out for – down the road. But Houlahan suggested she disagreed despite Democratic Party Senate leader Chuck Schumer unveiling a plan Friday afternoon to extend the Obamacare subsidies in question for just a year and develop a committee to negotiate further how to handle the subsidies once the government is open. "Because I believe that he's our Speaker, the Speaker of the House and it's important that he do his job," Houlahan responded when asked why she decided to interrupt Johnson's press conference. "And as near as I can tell, in the more than forty days [of the government shutdown], he hasn't picked up a phone call and tried to speak to more than half of the country." "Democrats could end this in the Senate if they would just pass the CR and then handle healthcare separate," the congresswoman was then pressed. "Why do you see these as connected?" SCHUMER, DEMS UNVEIL ALTERNATIVE SHUTDOWN PLAN, ASK FOR ONE-YEAR EXTENSION TO OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES "I believe them to be inextricably connected," Houlahan responded. "This is literally the healthcare – the livelihood and ability of people to thrive in our country, and I think this is the time to have this conversation." Houlahan went on to say that the Trump administration "has been slowly strangling the American people" and said that by shutting down the government it is "trying to complete the job." "Over the last nine months this administration has been slowly strangling the American people," she said. "Shutting back down the government by itself and now it's trying to complete the…