A PACKED HOUSE MONDAY NIGHT IN WASHINGTON, ILLINOIS FOR A TOWN HALL MEETING ON HEALTH CARE REFORM.

18TH DISTRICT CONGRESSMAN AARON SCHOCK CALLED FOR THE GATHERING AFTER DEMOCRATS IN THE HOUSE AGREED ON THEIR VERSION OF A REFORM BILL.

IT WAS A HEATED TOWN HALL DISCUSSION ON HEALTHCARE.
SO MANY PEOPLE SHOWED UP AT FIVE POINTS, THAT STAFF HAD TO MOVE THE GROWD ACROSS THE HALL TO A 1200 PERSON AUDITORIUM.
I WOULD ESTIMATE THERE WAS ABOUT 1100 IN ATTENDANCE.

CONGRESSMAN SCHOCK OUTLINED TO CONSTITUENTS, BOTH THE DEMOCRATS HEALTHCARE BILL AS WELL AS ONE HE CO–SPONSORED.
HE SAID THE DEMOCRATS HOUSE BILL THAT WAS ALMOST 2000 PAGES LONG COMES AT A PRICE OF ALMOST A TRILLION DOLLARS.
AND WILL BE PAID FOR BY VARIOUS REVENUE STREAMS THAT WILL HURT BUSINESS OWNERS AND UNION WORKERS WHO FORGO PAY RAISES FOR BETTER HEALTHCARE COVERAGE.
HE SAYS HIS BILL LOWERS HEALTHCARE PREMIUMS BY CREATING COMPETITION AND ALLOWING RESIDENTS TO GO ACROSS STATE LINES FOR INSURANCE COVERAGE.
HE SAYS HIS BILL COMES AT A PRICE TAG OF 300 BILLION DOLLARS AND LACKS A PUBLIC OPTION.
MANY IN ATTENDANCE SEEMED TO SUPPORT SCHOCK'S PROPOSED BILL....EVEN SAYING THEY WERE INSULTED DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATORS ARE TRYING TO PUSH A BILL SO QUICKLY.
"SOMETIMES IT JUST COMES DOWN TO THE FACT SOME OF YOUR ELECTED PEERS ARE RIPE WITH ARROGANCE, AND THAT THEY THINK THAT WE WORK FOR THEM RATHER THAN THEY WORK FOR US."
OTHERS SAID THE CONGRESSMAN CHERRY–PICKED POINTS FROM THE DEMOCRATIC BILL TO SUPPORT HIS AGENDA.

"I FOUND THAT YOU SUMMARIZED YOUR PART OF – OR YOUR BILL THAT YOU'RE SUPPORTING – BY OUTLINING THE POSITIVE ASPECTS OF IT – SOME OF WHICH I BELIEVE ARE INCLUDED IN THE HOUSE BILL. BUT THEN YOU SEEM TO GO ON AND YOUR FIRST AND MOST MAJOR COMPLAINT ABOUT THE HOUSE BILL WAS THE LENGTH OF IT – THE 1900 PAGES. THAT SEEMS TO ME INCONSEQUENTIAL IN TERMS OF ACTUALLY GETTING SOMETHING DONE."

SCHOCK SAYS LEGISLATORS ARE SCHEDULED TO VOTE OF THE PELOSI BILL ON FRIDAY...BUT IF LAWMAKERS DOESN'T PASS IT, SCHOCK SAYS CONGRESS WILL RE–CONVENE ON SATURDAY AND THAT THE SESSION COULD GO INTO SUNDAY.