You stay classy, Steny Hoyer.

(CNSNews.com) – Using a bizarre analogy, House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) accused Republicans of being willing to “take their own child hostage” and “shoot [their] own child” if Democrats do not agree to federal spending cuts in exchange for GOP support in raising the debt ceiling.

The federal government is slated to reach its $16.69 trillion borrowing limit by early September.

“In effect, what they’re doing is they’re taking their own child hostage, their child in this case being the United States of America’s credit, taking their own child hostage, and  telling us (Democrats), ‘If you don’t pay ransom, we’re gonna shoot our own child’,” Hoyer told reporters at a press briefing on Capitol Hill Tuesday.