WATCH | 'That's a lie': Republican senator accuses Yellen of lying during hearing
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.
United States Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen was on Thursday accused by a Republican senator of lying about President Joe Biden's willingness to meet the Republicans and discuss social security, breaking the decorum which led to an admonishment from the chairman of the panel.
During a Senate Finance Committee hearing, Senator Bill Cassidy repeatedly told Yellen that Biden has no willingness to hold a meeting with a bipartisan group of senators and resolve the problems with social security.
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"Why doesn't the President care?" Cassidy questioned. "He cares very deeply," Yellen began her answer.
"Then where is his plan?" Cassidy said. "He stands ready to work with," Yellen replied.
"That's a lie. Because when a bipartisan group of senators has repeatedly requested to meet with him about social so that somebody who is a current beneficiary will not see her benefits cut by 24%. We have not heard anything on our request," Cassidy firmly stated.
Later, Yellen finished her argument with the claim that Biden is willing to work with Congress to address social security's future shortfalls, which was dismissed by Cassidy as "empirically" not true.
The exchange of words broke the decorum which is usually upheld in the Senate, as well as, the respect Yellen, who is a former Federal Reserve chair, receives.
Admonishing Cassidy, the committee's Democratic chairman, Ron Wyden said, "Accusing witnesses of lying is over the line.”
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Cassidy said he was not accusing Yellen of lying and that he understood she was only saying what she has been told.
Later, Republican senator Ron Johnson also remained impatient with Yellen. Johnson asked Yellen the number of total deficits in the 10-year period which has been covered in Biden's budget.
As Yellen tried to look into the documents, Johnson said, "You don't know that off the top of your head?"
(With inputs from agencies)
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