A congressional confirmation hearing was derailed Thursday morning when U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts jokingly offered a fellow senator a psychoactive drug.

The Senate Finance Committee considered the nomination of Steven Mnuchin for secretary of the nation’s treasury department. After remarks by U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., that were critical of Mnuchin, Roberts asked one question and made a joke.

"Senator Wyden, I’ve got a Valium pill here that you might want to take before the second round" of questioning, the Kansas Republican said. "Just a suggestion, sir."

The remark drew a few scattered laughs and a brief smile from Mnuchin. Wyden, however, was not pleased.

"Just another suggestion: we’ve got a lot of colleagues waiting. If you could be brief, it would be helpful" the Oregon senator said.

.@SenPatRoberts: "Senator Wyden, I’ve got a Valium pill here that you might want to take." https://t.co/51DvQ7wfJU

— Mick Krever (@mickbk) January 19, 2017

Roberts promised to be brief and began asking a question about Mnuchin’s role in the Great Recession. Mnuchin is a former Goldman Sachs partner and senior manager.

"Mr. Chairman," said U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, an Ohio Democrat, interrupting Roberts, "I hope that that comment about Valium doesn’t set the tone for 2017 in this committee. I like Senator Roberts, but I just can’t quite believe that he would say that to a distinguished senator from Oregon."

"I said it to the president of the United States at one time," Roberts retorted.

In 2011, Roberts said President Barack Obama should take a Valium to calm down during debt ceiling debates. Valium, known clinically as Diazepam, is primarily used to treat anxiety, withdrawal syndromes and restlessness. Known for its calming effect, it was once the most-prescribed drug in America.

As the senators began speaking over each other, Brown called Roberts’ remarks to Wyden "outrageous" and Roberts demanded that he be given time to ask Mnuchin questions.

"I think a little pinprick of humor might help this committee from time to time," Roberts said, telling Brown, "I’m sorry if I’ve incurred your wrath, sir. We’ll be all right."

When Wyden interrupted to remind Roberts of time constraints, the Kansas senator angrily said, "Fine, Ron, I’m done."

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a liberal Democrat from Massachusetts, questioned on Twitter why Roberts would make the remark about Valium, writing, "Maybe more senators should be outraged by Wall St. bankers that steal people’s homes."

Prior to the testy exchange between the senators, Roberts asked Mnuchin if he would work with the Finance Committee "to make sure the tax collection agency of the federal government can never again be used as a weapon against any political opponents of any presidential administration," a reference to an Internal Revenue Service controversy in 2013.

"Yes, senator, I absolutely pledge to do that," Mnuchin responded.

Roberts, who has served in Congress since 1980, has a history of dark and irreverent humor. After President Ronald Reagan declined to sign a bill to alleviate a credit crisis in 1985, Roberts said, "I would simply tell the president that if he’s going back to California, he better not fly too low over Kansas or he’s going to get a pitchfork in Air Force One."