In a dramatic incident captured on video, 26 protesters, many in wheelchairs, were arrested for disrupting a House Energy and Commerce Committee budget markup in an attempt to protest alleged cuts to Medicaid. Reacting to the disruptive demonstration, Capitol police reiterated that this protest was illegal and dangerous.
For context, many Republicans, such as Rep. Brett Guthrie (KY), decried the misinformed protesters and called for order. Others, such as Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC), slammed the Democrats for cynically using lies about the One Big Beautiful Bill to promote their political agenda.
In any case, after the unrest was quelled, the U.S. Capitol Police Department issued a statement summarizing events. A spokesman said, “Around 2 p.m., 26 people were arrested for illegally demonstrating in the Rayburn House Office Building. They were arrested for 22-1307 Crowding, Obstructing, and Incommoding. It is against the law to protest inside the Congressional Buildings.”
Annoyed by the disruptive protest, Rep. Brett Guthrie, Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, slammed the protests. He said, “The audience is supportive that you’re all here and participating. We want you here. You’re part of the process. We want you to be here, but we have to proceed. And the rules of the House, and the law is that – if you’re disruptive, you’ll be removed, and you’re subject to arrest. I don’t make that decision, the Capitol Police does.”
Offering another perspective, Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC) attacked the Democrats for their cynical actions. He stated, “I want to send one very clear message: you’re being lied to. The other side is telling you a lot of things about this legislation. I’m not sure they have read this legislation.”
Fighting back against the DNC narrative, Indiana Republican Rep. Erin Houchin (R-IN) insisted that the OBBB wouldn’t harm Medicaid. Houchin explained, “This budget does not cut Medicaid, Medicare, or Social Security benefits for the Americans who truly need them.”
Adding more context, he insisted, “We are strengthening and protecting Medicaid for pregnant women, children, individuals with disabilities, low-income seniors and vulnerable families. These Americans will continue to have access to the care they need and deserve. What we are doing is eliminating waste, fraud and abuse.”
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However, far left Democrats such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) were undeterred and kept repeating these baseless allegations. She whined, “They are cutting this Medicaid care and these Medicaid dollars to pay for tax cuts for Elon Musk and billionaires, so this money isn’t even going towards funding better care for people who are eligible.”
Concluding her over-the-top complaining, the squad member said, “We are cutting money and health care from people and families who are suffering, to pay for tax cuts for the rich. It is a crime happening in front of the American public right now.”
Watch the clip here:
However, in a recent video on this same topic, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt explained the actual impact of this bill. She said, “This bill increases the child tax credit for more than 40 million American families, ends taxes on tips, cuts taxes for overtime workers like law enforcement officers, slashes taxes on Social Security for our seniors, and that’s just the start. We must pass this big, beautiful bill and usher in a new golden age for all Americans.”
Featured image from embedded video