Sessions to Sheila Jackson Lee: Economy is fine

For Pete Sessions, the economy's pretty good. Unlike the rest of us, he's got taxpayer funded health care and a million-dollar residence in a fashionable Dallas neighborhood. The last thing he needs is uppity colleagues from the other side of the aisle spilling the beans to the voters that we're in a recession--or worse. Check out this spat between Pete Sessions and Sheila Jackson Lee, as reported by Wall Street Journal:

In Congress, Tempers Flare Over the Economy

Damian Paletta reports on Congress.

Before lawmakers even began debating legislation over the government’s involvement in the housing turmoil, tempers flared and led to a shouting match on the floor of the House of Representatives.

The fracas started after Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D., Texas), said lawmakers needed to move aggressively to help homeowners avoid foreclosure. “We’re not in a recession,” she said on the House floor. “We’re moving toward a 1929 Depression.”

Rep. Pete Sessions (R., Texas) took umbrage at her characterization of the economy: “My Gosh! Let’s at least tell the American public the truth… Let’s not make things worse than they already are. Let’s not lie to the American public.”

Lee, who was sitting down at that point, rushed back to the podium.

“Are you calling me a liar?” she yelled. Shouting erupted in the room.

“It is not a true statement,” Sessions yelled back.

The shouting was eventually gaveled down, but the faceoff foreshadows what is expected to be a spirited debate late into the night.