FIGHTING FOR STATE FUNDING TO MITIGATE THE DEVASTATING IMPACTS OF H.R. 1 ON PUBLIC HOSPITALS, HEALTHCARE ACCESS, AND CALFRESH! 🏥 I was proud to represent Monterey County today at a press conference at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose alongside regional leaders, healthcare providers, labor organizations, and community advocates to call on our state leaders to take immediate action to offset the severe federal cuts proposed under H.R. 1. As California’s budget negotiations continue through June 15, we urged the Governor and Legislature to stand with counties, public hospitals, and working families by investing in critical protections that will prevent unnecessary suffering and keep our safety net intact. Our priorities include: • $500 million in support for California’s public hospitals • An emergency healthcare benefit for residents who lose Medi-Cal coverage • Funding for counties to assist with enrollment, outreach, and eligibility services to help people stay connected to healthcare and CalFresh nutrition assistance The stakes are incredibly high. In Monterey County alone, more than 51,000 residents rely on CalFresh to put food on the table, and thousands could lose access to MediCal healthcare under these federal cuts. Public hospitals like Natividad Medical Center, along with healthcare systems across California, will face enormous financial pressure if the state does not act. Thank you to Santa Clara County Supervisor Susan Ellenberg for inviting me to join this important action. California must step up and protect our most vulnerable residents, our public healthcare systems, and the county services that families depend on every day. @CSAC_Counties