Bernie Sanders: “this is really an incredible rule. What we have been hearing for the last year and what we will be hearing shortly is…”

“this is really an incredible rule. What we have been hearing for the last year and what we will be hearing shortly is that the leadership here in the Congress thinks that we should make savage cuts in Medicare, force elderly people who do not have the money to pay more for premiums. Meanwhile, they are suggesting that we spend $13 billion more for the military than the President wants. Do not you think the American people are entitled to that debate on priorities? The Republican majority wants to savage Medicaid; 88 million people will no longer have health insurance. Children will be without health insurance. Elderly people will be unable to pay for their prescription drugs. Mr. Speaker, I ask, ``Don't you think we should have a debate as to whether or not we cut military spending, or we salvage Medicaid?'' I think the American people want that debate. Maybe they will agree with our colleagues. Maybe they think we should spend more money on star wars and B-2 bombers and less money on health care; maybe our colleagues are right. I do not think they are. But I think that is a debate that we should have. Mr. Speaker, all over America, middle-class families are desperate. In Vermont they are knocking their brains out trying to figure out how they can afford to send their kids to college. Meanwhile the Republican leadership is cutting back on loans and grants.…”