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ABC News Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott asked the speaker of the House on Wednesday if she's ever seen the discourse between parties reach this level.

\"I haven't seen obstruction on the part of the Republicans and the 'legitimate political discourse' reflection of their values this bad,\" she said, referring to the ongoing backlash to language in a Republican National Committee censure resolution. \"The Republican leadership should be addressing the comments made by the Republican to Joyce Beatty.\"

She went on to address critics who say there's gridlock in Washington -- blaming Republicans for the incivility in Congress.

\"So when people say, 'Oh, there's gridlock in Washington,' and, 'Oh, why can't they get along?' It's not gridlock. It is obstruction,\" she said. \"It is not shared values about respect for the institution that we serve in.\"

\"PHOTO:
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
PHOTO: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi speaks during her weekly press conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Feb. 9, 2022.
>

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus held a press conference on the Capitol steps Tuesday to demand Rogers apologize for what they suggested was a physical and verbal \"assault\" on Beatty and also spoke about overall incivility in the halls of Congress.

\"I will not give Hal Rogers a pass,\" said Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., who is running for Senate. \"Look, we're all dealing with the same thing, but his racist, inappropriate behavior against Joyce Beatty is totally unacceptable. And we will not tolerate it.\"

Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., first vice chair of the caucus, added, \"We are here in solidarity to call on that member to formally apologize to our chair and to understand the seriousness of his actions and the lack of decorum that he exhibited today.\"

The apology -- while made behind closed doors -- from Rogers, a Republican, to Beatty, a Democrat, marks a rarity in today's hyper-partisan Congress.

Republicans have rebelled against mask requirements at the Capitol since they were imposed last year with the change of congressional leadership amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, with some publicly questioning the efficacy of masks despite public health experts recommending them.

\"PHOTO:
Alex Wong/Getty Images, FILE
PHOTO: In this July 29, 2021, file photo, a U.S. Capitol Police officer wears a mask as signs regarding the new facial mask mandate are posted outside a hearing room at the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
>

In a directive issued last month amid looming fears of the omicron variant, the Office of the Attending Physician, Dr. Brian Monahan, said it was required that all members and staff wear \"medical-grade\" masks throughout the House, unless members are speaking in the halls of the House or someone is alone. There is no mask requirement for the Senate chamber or the halls of Congress.

While Rogers not wearing a mask did not break any Capitol rules, Democrats have for months blasted Republicans for flouting COVID-19 precautions and what they say is a lack of concern over the health and safety of their congressional colleagues, especially with many in a higher age bracket.

Several Republican lawmakers including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Lauren Boebert of Colorado and Thomas Massie of Kentucky have received hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines for refusing to wear masks on the House floor but have characterized the rebukes as badges of honor.

Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend all Americans still wear masks in crowded indoor areas, such as on trains, but as several states are on track to drop mask requirements this week.

ABC News' Mariam Khan and Sejal Govindarao contributed to this report.

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