Washington DC - US Capitol Police on Tuesday arrested more than two dozen people who were protesting proposed Medicaid cuts in the GOP's budget reconciliation package.

"You will kill me!" one protester in a wheelchair yelled during a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on the budget resolution. "I'm HIV positive. For 20 years, I have survived on my meds that are $10,000 a month," astronomical costs she could not afford without Medicaid.

Outside the hearing room, dozens more protesters gathered chanting, "No cuts to Medicaid!"

The budget proposal – hailed by Trump as a "big, beautiful bill" – would extend tax breaks for the wealthy while making $880 billion in cuts, largely from Medicaid.

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Republicans have repeatedly insisted they and Donald Trump would not gut Medicaid except in cases of "waste, fraud, and abuse."

The Congressional Budget Office has released estimates showing that under the proposal, Medicaid enrollment would drop by 10.3 million people and the number of uninsured individuals would rise by 7.6 million by 2034.

"Get your greedy hands off of our Medicaid!" a protester demanded during Tuesday's hearing. "How dare you? The only one committing fraud is you!"

Capitol Police said the 26 people it arrested were detained for "illegally demonstrating in the Rayburn House Office Building."