Frank Pallone: “I was astonished yesterday, as a member of the Committee on Commerce, to watch while a group of about 15 or 20 senior…”

“I was astonished yesterday, as a member of the Committee on Commerce, to watch while a group of about 15 or 20 senior citizens came into the room, asked to speak, were denied the opportunity to speak or say anything about Medicare which is going to affect them so greatly, and then were told that they were going to be arrested, were actually arrested, handcuffed, put into a paddy wagon, and taken down to the Capitol Police to be booked or whatever. I know the charges were eventually dropped, but it was a very sad day to know there was really no opportunity for these seniors and for America's seniors in general to be heard on an issue so important as Medicare. Then I watched as the Republican leadership on the committee proceeded to mark up a Medicare bill that essentially destroyed Medicare as we know it. What that bill will do is to force most seniors into HMO's or managed care. It will make those who would like to continue to be able to choose their hospital, their doctor, in a traditional fee-for-service program more and more be squeezed out of that program where they have no choice. It is a sad day for America.”