ADAPT takes over the Senate Finance Committee –129 Arrested
 (WASHINGTON DC, March 24, 2004)
129 ADAPT activists were arrested last night demanding hearings on MiCASSA and Money Follows the Person. ADAPT took over the Senate Finance Committee Hearing Room in the Senate Office Complex on Capitol Hill and held a mock “Emergency Finance Committee Meeting” chanting for hours until they were arrested for unlawful assembly.
“I am willing to get arrested because I want out of the nursing home,” said Harry Caulder who will return to a Tennessee nursing home tomorrow, “but I am doing this for other people that need to get out of the nursing home.”
MiCASSA and Money Follows the Person were introduced this legislative session but Senator Grassley has failed to call for hearings on S. 971 (House Resolution 2032) and S. 1394. The legislation is essential to give Americans choice in long term care and to end the institutional bias in Medicaid.
“I am getting arrested because the system sucks and needs to change,” said Mike Bachhuber from Wisconsin ADAPT, “our country must give people choice of where they live.”
ADAPT activists in the Hearing Room and packing the hall outside demanded to speak to Sen. Grassley and demanded that the Senate hold hearings on MiCASSA and Money Follows the Person. Bob Liston calmed the chanting briefly and moved for an Emergency Finance Committee Meeting; Steve Gold of Philadelphia seconded the motion, which passed overwhelmingly by activists yelling, pounding and chanting approval.
 “The cops don’t like what you are doing,” said Cassie James of Philadelphia ADAPT, “keep it up.”
Anita Cameron began the hearing by testifying how she was railroaded into an institution. Police began to enter the room through the Senator’s private entrance and politely listened to Anita testify. Anita concluded her comments by singing “We Who Believe in Freedom Shall Not rest until MiCASSA is passed,” and was joined by Cheryl Hampston.
“I am willing to be arrested tonight because people in prison have no voice,” said Teresa VanGrol of Rochester ADAPT, “and people in that prison [the nursing home] are dying.”
The Emergency Hearing was facilitated by a working public address system in Room 215, the Committee Room. Following each person’s testimony, chants would rise up and fill the room, hall and second floor.
“The bureaucratic runaround is killing people,” said Quinn Brisben of Chicago ADAPT. Quinn rose to speak for friends that could not testify because they have died.
At 4:00 pm the Emergency Meeting ended without a conclusion when the police finally turned off the PA system and inadvertently turned up the volume of the activists calling for Grassley. The high ceiling, thick oak tables and leather chairs reverberated with the sustained rhythm of chants for 58 minutes following turning off the PA system.
Without the PA the chants continued and took more energy and coordination. Noise makers and loose change in an empty bottles filled in when
voices became to horse to elevate the chants. The chants after a while turned into a rhythmic beat with people being creative with new words and feeling. For example, the chant “Face the people, Now,” melted into the metrical beat of “Face the people, you cowards.”
ADAPT had spent the morning on Capitol Hill, at Rayburn, Longworth and Cannon House Office Buildings personally giving Representatives information on Stolen Lives and the Free Our People March. The mass had left the hotel at 9, headed toward the Capitol at 9:00 ama. ADAPT passed by the HHS building flanked by a dozen motorcycle cops several cruisers, and plenty of officers at work.
 At Independence and Washington Streets, halfway through the ADAPT procession, the police attempted to break the line. A few police officers stood in front of the single file line to block ADAPT and wave traffic through.
Like water around a stone; however, the ADAPT procession continued on. Shortly after their attempt to block the ADAPT line, the police found themselves immersed in an unstoppable torrent of wheelchairs.
The corner was a quick reminder of the power an organization of ADAPT. The police saw first-hand how difficult it would be to stop the climb up Capitol Hill.
“Business as usual,” said David Witte of Texas ADAPT, “another day on the hill with my friends from ADAPT.”
Following the visits on the House side of the Capitol, ADAPT had lunch al fresco at First Street and Constitution. Before 1:00 pm, ADAPT was lined-up again headed to the Senate side of the hill. The beginning of the line of marchers reached the Senate Office Complex before the end of the line had left the lunch site. The line stretched the length of the Capitol to the west, passing by the Library of Congress and the Supreme Court.
The group split into smaller organized parts to use all the accessible entrances of the massive Senate Complex. Once inside and passed the security, the smaller groups filtered up and out to all the Senator’s office with the information.
The groups reassembled in the basement and the great whole of ADAPT sprang up into the Senate Finance Committee Hearing Room and loudly demanded Hearings. At around 3:00 the room was filled with colorful chanting, boisterous and angry activists “Pass MiCASSA now.”
Frank Lazano made the connection between the current idea to block-grant Medicaid to states and the “local option” proposed when ADAPT was fighting for accessible transportation.
“They are both ways to say: no,” said Frank, “imagine if Congress made racial or gender discrimination a ‘local option.’”
Demands to Sen. Grassley:
ADAPT Demands Hearings on Senate Bill 971 and Senate Bill 1394
Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Arlen Specter (R-PA) introduced Senate Bill 971, Medicaid Community-Based Attendant Services and Supports Act (MiCASSA) a year ago. MiCASSA was referred to the Senate Finance Committee, chaired by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA). Also referred to the Senate Finance Committee was S. 1394, the Money Follows the Person Act, introduced by Senators Harkin and Gordon Smith (R-OR). Two months ago, Senators Harkin, Specter & Smith wrote to Senator Grassley and Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), the ranking minority member of the Finance Committee, requesting they hold hearings on the institutional bias in the Medicaid Long Term Care program.
ADAPT demands that Senator Grassley schedule and hold hearings on MiCASSA (S. 971) and the Money Follows the Person Act (S. 1394) at the earliest possible date.
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