House Republican claps back at MAGA senator's rebuke: 'We're not aligned'

Rep. Mark Alford (R-MO) may be from the same party and the same state as Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), but the two are worlds apart when it comes to how Medicaid should be represented in the House spending bill.

Hawley told CNN's Manu Raju earlier Wednesday that he would not sign on to the House bill as it stands now because he believes cutting Medicaid benefits is akin to "taxing the poor to give to the rich, and I'm totally opposed to that," Hawley said.

Alford, who favors cuts to Medicaid, appeared Wednesday afternoon with Boris Sanchez.

"I have nothing but the utmost respect for Sen. Josh Hawley," Alford began. "We just dropped his bill in the House today, the PELOSI Act, which bans members of Congress from trading individual stocks. We're aligned on that; we're not aligned on the terminology."

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"Let's put it that way," Alford continued. "For Medicaid, he calls them cuts; I call them savings. Look, we are kicking 1.4 million illegal aliens off of this program, 1.6 million Americans are now enrolled in Medicaid in at least two different states. We are finding the savings in these programs to come up with $900 billion — it was going to be 880 — they come up with 900 billion over 10 years, savings so that we can properly fund the program for people who are truly in need of these services."

Alford said he knows people in the "Show-Me State" are concerned about the proposed cuts.

"But it is a show-me state, and we're going to ask people to 'show me:' show me why you should be using taxpayer money for Medicaid that's funneled from the federal government down to the state level. Look, we are not, we are not empty of compassion — that is not what it's about. I am compassionate about turning this country around."

Alford emphasized that the House has to get the bill reconciliation passed, "or it's going to be the largest tax increase in U.S. history. And, yes, to pay for that, we're going to find savings in these programs."

Watch the clip below via CNN.