Peter Deutsch: “I would be happy, first of all, I have seen a video of his statement. This is a letter from the Speaker to the editor of…”

“I would be happy, first of all, I have seen a video of his statement. This is a letter from the Speaker to the editor of the Washington Post which does not have the full context of what was said, and it is actually a quote from the transcript of his speech, not a transcription of the speech itself. So, I mean, this is somewhat questionable in terms of its accuracy. As I mentioned to the gentleman from Arizona, I will be happy to supply him with a videotape at that point in time. If we want to spend the next 5 minutes, the next 6 hours, I will be happy to discuss the issue of Medicare with my Republican colleagues because I think that is one of the areas of fundamental disagreement. I think, and the gentleman from Kentucky, I think sincerely stated that he believes that the Republican proposal would save Medicare, and I believe that it would destroy Medicare, and that is a fundamental, 180 degree difference in how we view the specific policies of that, and we can go into it, because I serve on the subcommittee that the bill went through. The trustee report talks about a $90 billion cut. It is a $270 billion cut, and I would just close very quickly on the point of Medicare. It is a $270 billion cut, which, if it really were to save Medicare, and this is a fundamental question, why does it not go into the Medicare trust fund? I mean, how did that $270 billion number, how did it come up?”