Sam Gibbons: “9 months ago the American public gave to the Republicans the opportunity to control this House of Representatives and…”

“9 months ago the American public gave to the Republicans the opportunity to control this House of Representatives and the Senate. At that time the Republicans announced that they wanted to give very wealthy income taxpayers a huge tax break. How are they going to pay for it under the budget rules? They are going to cut 270 billion dollars' worth of benefits out of the Medicare Program, $270 billion. They are going to take away from all the senior citizens the right to choose their doctor. They are going to charge them more. These burdens will fall not only on the senior citizens but on their families, who will feel compelled to have to dig down in their pockets to take care of these people. This is unfair. But the most unfair thing about all of this, Mr. Speaker, is this: In 2 weeks, we will be voting on the Committee on Ways and Means on this program, and this is the only copy of it that we have, this blank piece of paper. This stealth attack is unconscionable.”