Lawmakers rejected an amendment to the GOP’s so-called “Big, Beautiful Bill” proposed by Sen. Susan Collins aimed at keeping rural hospitals open.

Sen. Collins called for doubling proposed funding for rural health care providers to $50 billion, paid for by increasing the tax rate on the wealthy.

Delivering remarks on the Senate floor, Sen. Collins said healthcare isn’t easy to come by in many of Maine’s rural counties:

“When these facilities close their doors, the people they serve are often left behind without access to health care. This amendment would help keep them open and caring for those who live in these rural communities.”

Politico reported that the amendment was rejected in the Senate overnight Monday night in a 78-22 vote.

The spending bill was up for more debate in the Senate on Tuesday, with Sen. Collins’ vote on final passage still up in the air.

Proposed healthcare cuts have been a major focus of the spending package, with nurses from across Maine gathering outside Sen. Collins’ office in Portland Tuesday afternoon calling for her to vote against the cuts.

It comes as part of a nationwide protest organized by National Nurses United, which cited a Yale study showing that 51,000 people could die if the changes are approved.

Meg Sinclair is a nurse at Maine Medical Center who told our info partners at CBS 13 news the protests are about standing up for what’s right:

“Nurses are the most trusted profession in the country. Time and time again, we fight for what’s right, and so we’ll show up for the people that we care for and make some noise and draw some attention to this issue.”

Republicans who back the bill say the proposed cuts to Medicaid in the form of more stringent work requirements will help keep the program sustainable for those who need it most.