[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]




          REPUBLICAN LEVEL OF INTOLERANCE RISES TO NEW HEIGHTS

  (Mr. KLINK asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. KLINK. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, October 11, 1995, is a day of 
infamy as 15 senior citizens were taken prisoner of war in the 
Republicans' assault on America. These gray-haired ladies in 
wheelchairs and veterans walking with canes were not mugged in some 
back alley. They were hauled off in handcuffs from the Committee on 
Commerce of the U.S. Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, 1 week earlier dozens of Republican lobbyists lined up, 
streamed into our committee, took mailbags full of letters in support 
of the Republican rape of Medicare, but that was fine because the 
leadership agreed with that position, and no effort was made to stop 
them. In fact, even though the letters came from nonexistent senior 
citizens, that action was endorsed. But when live senior citizens in an 
orderly manner tried to approach the dais yesterday to ask why no 
Medicare hearings had occurred on the legislation, they were silenced 
immediately.
  Mr. Speaker, the Republican level of intolerance rose to new heights 
in a disgraceful show of authority and force to these seniors, and, I 
repeat, some in wheelchairs, others walking with the aid of canes, were 
arrested, handcuffed, and taken out of the people's House and taken to 
the big house.

                          ____________________