Democrats fought Trump's bill. Why back part of it now? | The Excerpt

AUSA TODAY’s The Excerpt podcast discusses a growing area of agreement around President Donald Trump’s rural health care investment, despite criticism from Democrats of the broader “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” The episode, dated Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, focuses on the five-year, $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program authorized as part of the law. White House correspondent Joey Garrison explains that states receive funding to develop plans tailored to rural needs, including support for rural hospitals and services such as mental health. The discussion frames rural health care as politically urgent due to decades of underinvestment and recurring hospital closures.