Shouting, Name-Calling Highlight Welfare Bill In Pennsylvania Senate

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HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The Pennsylvania Senate devolved into partisan shouting, name-calling and bare-knuckled procedural tactics over a bill to end a decades-old program that offers $200 a month to people deemed unable to work.

The bill ultimately passed the GOP-controlled chamber, 26-24, with two Republicans siding with Democrats against it.

The chaos began with a Republican attempt to block Democrats from offering amendments to keep the benefit for military veterans, cancer survivors and others.

At one point, Senate Republican Leader Jake Corman called the presiding officer, Democratic Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, a "partisan hack" and screamed that Fetterman had ignored chamber rules by letting a Democratic senator speak over him.

Democratic Sen. Anthony Williams shouted back, "when you punch somebody in the face and they punch you back, stop whining about it!"