Patricia Schroeder: “I must say that it has been a very rough week for those of us who believe that this is the people's House, and, indeed…”

“I must say that it has been a very rough week for those of us who believe that this is the people's House, and, indeed, the people should be able to come here and ask questions. We found we have not even been allowed to ask questions or even see the Medicare reform. We are told trust us, you are in the hands of your mother. Oh, really? Well, mother is turning into a terror, it seems, as we see what some of these changes are. This was a very hard week for me, Mr. Speaker, as I watched these people being handcuffed just for coming to ask questions. I have never seen that happen before. This person does not look like a physical threat to anyone, to me, people in wheelchairs, everyone else, and we are supposed to be grateful because they were not put in jail, they were just taken down and booked and then they let them all go. Today I see in the paper even more of a shock, and I am sure these people will be even more angry, because today's headlines say 'Gingrich places low priority on Medicare crooks.' Well, now, that makes us feel real good, does it not? It goes on to say that in the area of self-referrals and kickbacks, they have taken all of that out because the doctors did not want it, and that the Congressional Budget Office, remember the Director of the Congressional Budget Office is appointed by the Speaker in his leadership, so part of their team, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that this is going to cost you $1.1 billion.”