Gerald Kleczka: “the gentleman from Arizona who just spoke advised us to listen to our seniors; and many of us, I say to my colleagues…”

“the gentleman from Arizona who just spoke advised us to listen to our seniors; and many of us, I say to my colleagues, are doing just that with our vote today. Here is a senior from my district who advises me to oppose this bill, and they just canceled their AARP membership this morning. What is going on here? This bill started out as a drug bill for senior citizens and, all of a sudden, we find the bill before us has over $100 billion for special interests in this country, and the calls we are getting to support the bill are from those special interests. They are saying, here is 200,000 specialty physicians; support the bill. Here, a big fat letter. And not once do they mention Medicare drugs for seniors. They are worried about their own pocket. Letter after letter in my office and on my fax machine are from special interests who have lobbyists in town urging Members to vote for this bill because they are getting something out of it: more money. And none of them are saying, and also the senior provision is good. That is what is going on here. The seniors who call us are against the bill. The special interests who, in a campaign period can give us $10,000 in campaign contributions, are encouraging us to vote for the bill. Who do you think is going to win at the end of the day, huh? The seniors do not got a PAC. They do not give us $5,000 a crack, $10,000 a crack. That is what is happening, I say to my colleagues. And let us not forget it.”