Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., is blocked by Capitol Police while interrupting Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., during a House Republican news conference about the government shutdown on the House steps of the U.S. Capitol Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
"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 added 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 job."
When pressed further, Houlahan's staff stepped in and said she needed to go and could not answer any more questions.
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The Democrat went viral earlier this week when House Speaker Johnson's press conference outside the Capitol building briefly descended into chaos when she got into a heated exchange with the speaker demanding he meet with her caucus to end the shutdown. Houlahan was jeered at, and, at a certain point, Johnson told her to respect his free speech rights.
Democrat Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, right, crashed Speaker Mike Johnson's daily government shutdown press conference Nov. 5, 2025 (Getty Images)
"You should respect free speech," Houlahan clapped back. "I'm asking you a question if you're ready to have a conversation with the other side. You represent all of us. You are the speaker for all of us, sir."
Johnson attempted to take a question from a reporter, but he said, "I can't hear you because we have someone who doesn't respect the rights of their colleagues."
Meanwhile, Houlahan kept shouting over the speaker even as he tried to call order.
"You have an obligation not just to speak lies to the American people. You have an obligation to call the leadership of both parties and bring us together and solve this problem together," she yelled.
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The following day, Houlahan participated in a Democratic Party press conference of her own on the steps of the Capitol, during which no interruptions appeared to take place, according to recordings posted online. Houlahan referred to the viral moment between her and the speaker as a "dialogue" during her comments.
"I like to think of it as a dialogue more than a confrontation," she said. "He reminded me and the American people that he has literally not sat down and talked to Democratic leaders since before the shutdown. They refuse to sit down with us, and they refuse to tell the American public the truth."
Fox News Digital's Elizabeth Elkind and Kelly Phares contributed to this report.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/house-dem-reveals-why-she-hijacked-speaker-johnsons-presser-viral-outburst