The Senate rejected a Democrat-led spending plan along party lines on Friday that would have rolled back a $50 billion investment in rural health care as well as enacted a spate of left-wing priorities.
Schumer declared that spending plan a non-starter, citing costly healthcare provisions that he argued must be attached to any government funding bill. The lead Democrat argued that the two competing CRs illustrated a “glaring contrast” between the two parties.
Republicans agreed with Schumer’s comments, pointing to the elimination of the $50 billion rural health stabilization fund in the Democrats’ CR.
“You could only conclude that Democrats don’t care about rural America,” Republican Ohio Sen. Jon Husted. “In this particular case, these hospitals are counting on us to find a way to keep their doors open and improve the way that they serve rural America.”