Blumenauer's Claim That GOP Lied About Health Care Stops House Business

There was a little drama on the House floor Thursday morning as Rep. Dan Lungren, R-Calif., asked that the words of Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., be "taken down."

In House parlance, having your words "taken down" is kind of like being pulled over for speeding. You might get a ticket. But the officer is going to investigate a little further, run your tags, and see if there are any warrants.

So the House right reviewed whether or not the "words" spoken by Blumenauer on the floor are a breach of decorum.

During debate on the 1099 bill, Blumenauer declared that the GOP's assertions that the Obama Administration executed a "government takeover of healthcare" was "the biggest lie of the year."

Lungren stopped House business to have Blumenauer's words reviewed.

Blumenauer ultimately withdrew the words, though his office did immediately send a press release pointing out that the Politifact website used the same language to describe the GOP claim.

His office says Blumenaur withdrew the words as a courtesy to Lungren, and not because he doesn't believe in what he said, or feared discipline.

If he had been sanctioned, Blumeneauer would not have been permitted to speak on the House floor for the rest of the day.