WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate narrowly passed a contentious reconciliation bill late Tuesday, igniting widespread concern over its projected $1.1 trillion in health care cuts and its impact on rural America. Sen. Bernie Sanders took to X to decry the legislation, warning that the measure, passed by a single vote, delivers massive tax breaks to the ultra-rich while threatening the well-being of millions. “The billionaires are celebrating tonight,” Sanders posted, urging a grassroots push to defeat corporate-backed politicians in the 2026 elections.
The Congressional Budget Office’s June 30, 2025, analysis estimates the bill could strip health care from 16 million Americans, a figure echoed in Sanders’ critique. The legislation also slashes Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, potentially leaving an estimated 50,000 rural hospitals and nursing homes at risk of closure due to inadequate insurance payments, according to ruralhospitals.chqpr.org. Since 2023, rural hospital closures have spiked by 10%, a trend experts attribute to shrinking Medicaid reimbursements.
The bill’s ripple effects extend beyond health care. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reported on June 9, 2025, that veterans’ reliance on Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has surged 15% since 2020, making them particularly vulnerable to the proposed cuts. Meanwhile, energy efficiency funding faces a potential $50 billion reduction, with increased subsidies for fossil fuels—a shift Sanders ties to corporate welfare dating back to 2016 reconciliation debates.
At the heart of the controversy lies the extension of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, set to expire this year. FactCheck.org’s April 1, 2025, review notes that while the tax breaks benefit all income groups on average, the policy disproportionately favors the wealthy, fueling accusations that the new bill prioritizes billionaires over working families.
As the legislation heads to the House, the nation braces for a heated battle. Sanders and his allies are mobilizing, calling for an “overtime” effort to reverse the tide by 2026, while rural communities and vulnerable populations face an uncertain future.