BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) -- Community advocates and leaders rallied outside Rep. David Valadao's Bakersfield office Wednesday, to protest potential cuts to federal entitlement programs like Medicaid and Medicare. Attendees included Dolores Huerta and other members of the Dolores Huerta Foundati on, as well as Bakersfield Vice Mayor Manpreet Kaur. Concerns over cuts to Medicare and Medicaid erupted over House Republicans' budget blueprint, which was approved in February. Valadao voted for it. Part of the blueprint asks $880 billion to be cut from programs managed by Congress' energy and commerce committee. The nonpartisan congressional budget office says such a large cut likely cannot happen without cutting from Medicaid, Medicare and more. After Sunrise: March 20, 2025 For now, debate over a new congressional budget has subsided, since congress and President Trump passed a temporary spending bill -- which funds the government until the end of September. Congressman Valadao voted for that too. Rally attendees say moving forward, Valadao needs to vote against such a budget and instead protect healthcare. Valadao responded to 17 News' request for comment, saying in part: "I know how important Medicaid is to Central Valley families, and I remain committed to ensuring they have access to affordable healthcare. There has been a lot of political rhetoric about cuts to Medicaid, but the reality is no such cuts have been made." ...read more read less