U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, under fire for his heated attack on Republicans last night, took the House floor a while ago and offered an apology, but not the one Republicans wants to hear.

"Last night, I gave a speech and I'm not going to recount everything I said but after that speech, several republicans asked me to apologize. I would like to apologize.

I would like to apologize and here's why. According to this study, health insurance and mortality in adults which was published two weeks, 44,000 Americans die every year because they have no health insurance. 44,789 Americans die every year according to the Harvard study. And you can see it by going to our website at grayson.house.gov. That is 10 times more than the number of Americans who have died in Iraq and who died in 9/11. But that was just once. This is every single year. That's right. Every single year.

Take a look at this. Read it and weep. And I mean that, read it and weep, because of all these Americans who are dying because they don't have health insurance. Now, I think we should do something about that and the Democratic health care plan does do something about that. It makes health care affordable for those who can't afford insurance and it safes these peoples' lives.

Let's remember we should care about people even after they're born. I call upon the Democratic members of the House, I call upon the republican members of the house, I call upon all of us to do our jobs for the sake of America, for the sake of those dying people and their families. I apologize to the dead and their families that we haven't voted sooner to end this holocaust in America. I yield the rest of my time."

Reaction:

Jim Greer, Republican Party of Florida

“The people of Central Florida sent Alan Grayson to Washington to work for them. Instead, he has become the laughing stock of the House of Representatives and a complete embarrassment to his constituents.  What we have seen over the course of the last 24 hour is a Congressman who is completely consumed with his own spotlight and has absolutely no respect for the citizens who elected him. I am more and more appalled with every twisted turn of the Alan Grayson roll coaster. It’s time for Congressman Grayson to leave the amusement park and go back to work for the people of Central Florida. I don’t know who is running the ship over at the FDP, but it’s about time for someone to demonstrate a least a little bit of leadership ability, take control of this situation and tell Congressman Grayson to stop digging. Karen Thurman, Bill Nelson, Alex Sink, Kendrick Meek… someone… anyone…” 

Sara Sendek, RNC Spokeswoman

“Looks like Congressman Grayson was just getting warmed up last night with his deceitful smear campaign and scare tactics. Today, he further crossed the line by comparing the health care debate to the Holocaust. When will the Democrats and the Obama Administration speak out against these disgraceful partisan attacks?”