Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
The Senate early Tuesday morning overwhelmingly voted down an amendment from Sen. Susan Collins to double the size of the rural hospital fund in a 22-78 vote.
Why it matters: Collins has said she is leaning against voting for the bill as a whole without changes, so the defeat could make her less likely to support the final measure.
- The 18 GOP senators voting in favor included Sens. Mitch McConnell, Lisa Murkowski, Roger Wicker and Jerry Moran.
- Democrats largely voted against the measure.
Driving the news: The amendment would have increased the rural hospital fund from $25 billion to $50 billion.
- It would have been paid for by increasing taxes on individuals making over $25 million and couples making over $50 million.
- The contingent of GOP senators voting in favor of the amendment suggests concern for potential harm to rural hospitals from the bill's new limits on Medicaid provider taxes
