GOP Holdout Blasts CNN Host To Her Face For Network ‘Trying To Scare’ Americans About Big, Beautiful Bill

Republican Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee clashed with “Out Front with Erin Burnett” guest host Brianna Keilar Wednesday evening over the reconciliation bill.

The House of Representatives advanced the reconciliation bill early Thursday morning in a 219-213 vote, overcoming objections from all but one of over a dozen Republican holdouts. Keilar questioned Burchett about reforms to Medicaid, repeating claims it would take health insurance away from millions of Americans and citing the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). (RELATED: Scott Jennings Reminds Former Clinton Official Which Dem President Backed Work Requirements For Medicaid)

“The CBO, which you put so much trust in for years and years that you passed a resolution wanting estimates read before bills, is very clear about how many people are going to be kicked off of healthcare, until you were against the CBO,” Keilar said.

“No, ma’am. No, ma’am. Listen, if you want to do the editorial, just go ahead and you don’t need me on here,” Burchett responded, with Keilar shooting back, “These are facts, sir, I don’t have to editorialize.”

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Burchett, who “CNN NewsNight” host Abby Phillip described as a “holdout” on the reconciliation bill Wednesday night after Burchett’s appearance on the network, called out the CBO as a “partisan organization.”

“I would like to see scores. I would like to see what the economic — economic output of every bill. You as a taxpayer should want that too. And the CBO is the only organization we have. If I could allow a private accounting firm to do it, I would much rather that happen, but the reality is it would have to be the CBO,” Burchett responded. “And what do you have against knowing how much each bill is spent? Why does the media post that? Why do you all on the left always fight every chance at America knowing what’s going on?”

“The problem you all have with this bill, ma’am, is that it’s — it gets government out of our way and lets Americans make some decisions and maybe hardworking Americans would have a better choice and a better shot at life in this country without you all just telling us how bad things are going and trying to construct, and as you’re doing with me, trying to dictate what I’ve said,” Burchett continued. “And the reality is the CBO is a partisan organization. And the reality is America has a right to know how much we’re spending on every piece of legislation. I cannot believe you, as a member of the media, would not want open records and that is exactly what that bill would do.”

Keilar claimed that CNN had been covering the bill, prompting Burchett, who eventually voted to advance the legislation, to push back.

“Ma’am, you all are trying to scare — are you talking about the big, beautiful bill? You all just try to scare America by telling millions of people are going to be cut off this thing. You’re talking about the people that are on it illegally that are gaming the system and that is —” Burchett said before Keilar interrupted, claiming, “No, we’re not. The CBO is very clear.” (RELATED: Former GOP Lawmaker Drops Fact Check On Biden Official Over Claims About Trump Tax Cuts)

“And the bill does not — it does not do anything of what you’ve said,” Burchett responded. “And all you’ve done is scare America and you’re not doing a service to this country, ma’am.”

While the CBO estimates that nearly 11 million people would be off Medicaid by 2034, a June 24 statement by the House Budget Committee citing an analysis by the CBO motes that 4.8 million would be dropped due to not meeting a work requirement of 80 hours per month and another 1.4 million illegal immigrants would also be removed from the program.