Democratic congressional leaders staged a series of hospital and food-bank appearances on Thursday to build opposition to President Donald Trump’s “Big Ugly Bill,” which they say slashes funding for rural hospitals, Medicaid and nutrition assistance in order to finance tax breaks for wealthy households. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Representative Paul Tonko spoke at St. Mary’s Hospital in Amsterdam, New York, warning that the law would exacerbate financial strains on rural providers. In California, Representative John Garamendi said at Contra Costa Regional Medical Center that the measure jeopardises health coverage for 333,455 county residents and more than one million people statewide. Garamendi later joined local officials at a Bay Area food bank, arguing that the legislation would strip meals from children, seniors and working families. Representative Emanuel Cleaver added that the law reflects Republican priorities that favour high-income taxpayers over working-class Americans. The Democrats said they plan to introduce corrective legislation when Congress returns from recess and will press for floor votes aimed at restoring health-care and nutrition funding.