Story highlights Sen. Orrin Hatch chairs the Senate finance committee

The panel advanced the GOP tax plan along party lines late Thursday night

(CNN) The Senate finance committee advanced Republicans' plans to overhaul the tax system on Thursday night, but not without a fiery argument between senators just minutes before the vote.

While on the final Democratic amendment, Sen. Sherrod Brown, an Ohio Democrat, accused Republicans of over the past 40 years routinely trying to only cut taxes for the rich.

"I just think, it would be nice, just tonight, before we go home, to just acknowledge, well, this tax cut really is not for the middle class, it's for the rich," Brown said as part of his lengthy comments that included reference to how previous tax cuts did not lead to sufficiently higher wages.

Sen. Orrin Hatch, a Utah Republican and chairman of the committee, angrily responded in personal terms.

"I come from the poor people, and I've been here working my whole stinkin' career for people who don't have a chance," he said as the room fell silent. "And I really resent anybody saying I'm just doing it for the rich. Give me a break."

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