Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson got into a spat with a Democratic lawmaker after Carson tried to reclaim his time during a hearing.

Appearing before the House Financial Services Committee on Tuesday, Carson was asked by freshman Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) if he believed substandard public housing conditions pose a risk to tenants’ physical, mental and emotional health if left unaddressed.

“Yes or no, can you ask me some questions yourself and stop reading this silly stuff?” Carson replied.{mosads}

“You don’t get to dictate what my line of questioning is. Reclaiming my time,” Pressley said. “You’re a very smart man. You understand the question. Please answer it.”

CLIP: Complete exchange between Rep. Pressley and Secretary Carson.@SecretaryCarson: “Reclaiming my time.”@RepPressley: “You don’t get to do that.”

Carson: “Oh.”@RepMaxineWaters: “The time belongs to the gentle lady.” pic.twitter.com/HFlS749tji

— CSPAN (@cspan) May 21, 2019 

Carson continued to avoid saying yes or no, restating to Pressley that “you already know the answer.”

“I know the answer,” Pressley said. “Do you know the answer?”

“Reclaiming my time,” Carson said.

“You don’t get to do that,” Pressley told him.

“Oh,” Carson laughed.

Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) chimed in, affirming that “the time belongs to the gentlelady.”