Freshman Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., tore into the media on Friday for "threatening [him] with bad press" after reports that he called a group of student employees from the U.S. Senate "jacka--es" and "little sh--s" for laying on the floor of the Capitol rotunda.

"The Capitol Rotunda served as a field hospital where countless Union soldiers died fighting to free men in the Civil War. I have long said our nation’s Capitol is a symbol of the sacrifice our service men and women have made for this country and should never be treated like a frat house common room," Van Orden said in a statement given to Fox News Digital.

"Threatening a congressman with bad press to excuse poor behavior is a reminder of everything that’s wrong with Washington. Luckily, bad press has never bothered me and if it’s the price I pay to stand up for what’s right, then so be it."

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Van Orden was reportedly giving a late night tour to visitors when the group came across Senate pages lying on the floor of the rotunda and taking pictures during their last week of the program, according to Punchbowl News.

"Wake the f--- up you little sh--s," he said according to a readout of the encounter obtained by The Hill. "What the f--- are you all doing? Get the f--- out of here. You are defiling the space."

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"You jackasses, get out," Van Orden, a military veteran, also reportedly said.

Senate pages are high school juniors, 16- and 17-year-olds who come from across the country to participate in an education and work program for Congress’ upper chamber.

Van Orden later disputed a report that he and his staff had been having a party before the alleged incident. "How do you say you have never been to Wisconsin without saying you have never been to Wisconsin? Those were constituents, you must be a flat-lander," he tweeted.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., criticized Van Orden for the alleged incident late on Thursday night.

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"I understand that late last night a member of the House majority thought it appropriate to curse at some of these young people, these teenagers in the rotunda. I was shocked when I heard about it, and I am further shocked at his refusal to apologize to these young people," Schumer said. "I can't speak for the House of Representatives, but I do not think that one member's disrespect is shared by this body, by Leader McConnell and myself."

McConnell said a short while later, "I want to associate myself with the remarks of the majority leader. Everybody on this side of the aisle feels exactly the same way."

Van Orden’s office did not specifically reply to the senators’ comments after an inquiry by Fox News Digital, but the conservative congressman’s allies laid into Schumer on Twitter.

"Chuck Schumer is a lifelong political hack who never resists an opportunity to insert himself in front of a camera. When will Schumer hold his own party to the same standard?" said National Republican Congressional Committee spokesperson Jack Pandol.

ESPN broadcaster Sam Ponder expressed support for Paula Scanlan on Thursday night after the former University of Pennsylvania swimmer testified in front of Congress on her experience with Lia Thomas and her 2016 sexual assault.

Ponder was among those who listened to Scanlan’s testimony during a hearing on "gender-affirming care for minors."

"Paula you are so brave and your voice is so important," Ponder tweeted.

Ponder’s ESPN colleague Sage Steele co-signed Ponder’s message.

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Scanlan, who now serves as a spokesperson and adviser for the Independent Women’s Forum, suggested that university officials disregarded the concerns of the members on the team and told them that Thomas’ being on it was "non-negotiable."

"Once the season began, Thomas was leading the country in multiple events, while only placing in the top 500 in those events on the men's team. Thomas later became an NCAA champion in the 500-yard freestyle — the first NCAA champion in our women's team history program. While many of you already know this, what you do not know is the experience of the women on the University of Pennsylvania swim team," Scanlan said during her opening statement. 

"My teammates and I were forced to undress in the presence of Lia, a 6-foot-4 tall biological male, fully intact with male genitalia, 18 times per week. Some girls opted to change in bathroom stalls, and others used the family bathroom to avoid this. When we tried to voice our concerns to the athletic department, we were told that Lia’s swimming and being in our locker room was a non-negotiable, and we were offered psychological services to attempt to re-educate us to become comfortable with the idea of undressing in front of a male.

"To sum up the university's response, we the women were the problem, not the victims. We were expected to conform, to move over and shut up. Our feelings didn't matter." 

Scanlan spoke about an op-ed she penned for the student paper that discussed the scientific differences between biological males and females only to find out hours after its publication, it was retracted without her knowledge.

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"This is representative of a greater issue — the destruction of free speech. Today, any discussion maintaining the sanctity of women's spaces is labeled transphobic, bigoted and hateful. What's bigoted and hateful is discrimination against women and the efforts to erase women and our equal opportunities, dignity and safe spaces," she said.

An emotional Scanlan also revealed that the situation surrounding Thomas’ involvement went beyond fair competition. For her as a survivor of sexual assault, Thomas’ presence in the locker room created a greater issue. 

"This is real. I know women who have lost roster spots and spots on the podium. I know of women with sexual trauma who are adversely impacted by having biological males in their locker room without their consent. I know this because I am one of these women," said Scanlan. 

"I was sexually assaulted on June 3rd of 2016. I was only 16 years old. I was able to forgive my attacker but violence against women still exists. Let us not forget the viral #MeToo movement that empowered female victims to speak up. It casts a spotlight on the widespread prevalence of sexual assault and abuse, including in scholarly and educational institutions."

Scanlan competed on UPenn’s swim team from 2018-2019 and from 2021-2022. During her final season, ​​Thomas became the first transgender athlete to win a Division I championship in any sport, winning the 500-yard freestyle in 2022.

Thursday’s hearing was held to discuss the "dangers and due process violations of 'gender-affirming care'" and the role of parents in those decisions. 

Fox News’ Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.