Rep. Oberstar: "The oysters of Normandy are the most delicious in the world." (VIDEO)

The whole temperature of the room seemed to change when George Mason University economist Veronique de Rugy was introduced Friday at the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's hearing on the economic stimulus. Watch how the chairman, Rep. Jim Oberstar, reacted. More after the jump.

The Minnesota Democrat -- who did graduate work in Quebec and Belgium and taught language in Haiti -- busted out a perfect Gallic accent to ask de Rugy, in her native tongue, about her French origins.

She replied, in French, that she was raised in Paris but her parents were from Normandy -- and commended the congressman's accent.

"The oysters of Normandy are the most delicious in the world," he sighed, in French.

Oberstar congratulated de Rugy on her perfect English and asked how long she's been in the U.S. Ten years, she said.

"You've been here ten years? Oh. If only I had been able to spend ten years in Paris."