The House is expected to vote Friday on a three-week funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security — but tempers flared late Thursday on the floor when Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer called Republican Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy a "coward."
McCarthy had halted debate on the floor to say that the chamber would complete its work for the week by Friday evening,
The Hill reports. Without the short-term funds, Homeland Security could shut down at midnight on Friday.
"This House has taken action to make sure that DHS is fully funded," McCarthy said. "We did our part."
As the California Republican stepped away from the microphone, Hoyer said, "You coward,"
CNN reports. Amid murmurs on the House floor, Hoyer then went over to speak to McCarthy.
"He's not a coward," Hoyer, who represents Maryland, told CNN as he left the floor. "I just apologized to him."
He said he felt that his microphone had been cut off as he was inquiring about the funding bill.
"I said something I shouldn't have said," Hoyer told CNN.
He said McCarthy accepted his apology and told him "it was unfortunate."
The Democrat is pressing for a "clean" bill that would provide Homeland Security with $39.7 billion and would be stripped of language defunding President Barack Obama's amnesty immigration orders.
Republicans in both chambers have balked at such a bill — leading to the pending vote on the short-term funding for the agency.
Hoyer told CNN that he opposed that legislation, too, and some House conservatives have balked because they do not want to provide money to the agency charged with carrying out Obama's amnesty orders.
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