[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 158 (Thursday, October 12, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H9900]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      BACKROOM DEALS BEING MADE WHILE SENIOR CITIZENS GET ARRESTED

  (Ms. DeLAURO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, if you want to understand how the special 
interests are winning out over the public interest in this Congress, 
just read today's newspapers. There are two stories about two different 
groups who came to Washington to protest parts of the Republican 
Medicare cuts. One group got a private meeting with the Speaker of the 
House. The other group got arrested.
  When the American Medical Association and its high paid lobbyists 
came to Capitol Hill, they were given a closed-door meeting with 
Speaker Gingrich. A backroom, billion-dollar deal was made and the AMA 
reversed its position and endorsed the Medicare cuts. When the National 
Council for Senior Citizen's came to Capitol Hill, its members got no 
meeting with the Speaker, its members got arrested. Yesterday, 15 
senior citizens were arrested and taken away in handcuffs. Their crime? 
Asking to participate in our democracy.
  Mr. Speaker, the Republicans are not afraid to listen to the special 
interests. Why are Republicans afraid to listen to the people?

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