Protesters opposing Republican cuts to Medicaid spending briefly shut down a House hearing on Tuesday.
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY) kicked off the hearing by praising the GOP budget bill, saying it "unleashes American energy dominance, advances innovation, and protects access to care for our most vulnerable."
"I have no doubt that we'll have some robust discussions today about these proposals," the chairman noted as a protest broke out in the committee room, shutting down the hearing.
"No cuts to Medicaid! No cuts to Medicaid!" the protesters chanted.
"The chair will advise the audience that disruption of congressional business is a violation of law and is a criminal offense," Guthrie said. "The chair advises the audience that violations will not be tolerated and the violators will be removed from the room and may be subject to arrest."
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Capitol Police officers wheeled disabled protesters out of the room.
Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) urged officers not to arrest the protesters.
"These demonstrations are people feel very strongly because they know they're losing their health care and the cruelty that comes from the Republican proposal that makes them lose their health care and their health insurance," he explained. "But I would just ask that to the police, I don't know if they're in the room, that we not arrest people if possible, because many of them are disabled, and I don't want to see them further hurt with their disability in the process of being arrested."
"President Trump and congressional Republicans promised the American people they would not cut Medicaid benefits or strip away people's health care," he added. "It's clear that they have broken that promise."
The Congressional Budget Office has determined that the Republican bill would result in at least 13.7 million people losing health coverage.
The Hill's Emily Brooks later reported that at least 25 protesters were arrested.
