Nurses, Rocklin residents protest Medicaid cuts at Rep. Kevin Kiley’s office
Holding up signs that read “Some Cuts Don’t Heal” and “Fund Care Not Billionaires,” dozens of District 3 residents rallied near Rep. Kevin Kiley’s office in Rocklin Tuesday against proposed Medicaid cuts under Congress’ spending cuts and tax breaks bill.
The protest in Rocklin is one of nine nationwide organized by National Nurses United. Protesters began gathering at the entrance to the retail plaza that houses Kiley’s office at 10 a.m., less than an hour after the Senate narrowly passed a ‘big, beautiful’ bill that proposes slashing $880 billion from Medicaid.
Known in California as Medi-Cal, almost 15 million Californians — over a third of the state’s population — are covered by the program, especially low-income, disabled and elderly residents. Researchers at the Yale School of Public Health estimate the proposed cuts could lead to over 51,000 preventable deaths annually.
The bill will return to a divided House, where deliberations begin Wednesday. In the meantime, protesters called for Kiley — a Republican representing California’s third congressional district and author of the No Medicaid for Illegal Immigrants Act — to vote ‘no.’ Kiley’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“We need (Kiley) to have compassion for us the way nurses have compassion for patients,” said Hope Wallen, a labor and delivery nurse of 26 years from Folsom.
If the bill passes, Wallen foresees increasing death rates and decreasing access. Her father, a Vietnam veteran, was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer last year. With the nearest Veterans Affairs clinic an hour away from his home, Medi-Cal offers more reliable care.
John Payne, a Fair Oaks resident who served in the army from 1980 and 1984, emphasized that veterans may have VA benefits, “but a lot of them depend on Medicaid for long-term healthcare.” He held a rolled American flag close to his person to avoid knocking over the protesters that crowded the sidewalk.
“There are people who took an oath and made sacrifices for our country,” he said. “They deserve our support.”
As the protesters marched back toward Kiley’s office, Payne unfurled his flag and raised it high.
Rocklin police asked protesters to remain quiet and avoid crowding the entrance to Kiley’s office, which stands next to a ketamine therapy clinic. A small number of protesters were allowed to enter the office, carrying a pledge for Kiley to sign, before the door closed. No recording was permitted inside.
Throughout the 90-minute event, passing drivers honked in support and extended thumbs-up to the protesters. One woman stood silently with a sign reading “Kiley Doesn’t Care About You” as community leaders took turns delivering speeches, but left as it became apparent the crowd would not engage with her. Their focus remained on the bill and how it might harm loved ones and patients.
Melissa Beebe, an oncology nurse at UC Davis Medical Center, spoke quietly about what the bill might mean for her patients’ ability to receive cancer treatment.
“These drugs are so expensive,” she said. “Without Medicaid, it’s a death sentence.”
Her assessment echoes the words of the other protesters, who emphasize that health care is a human right — one threatened by the bill.
“We need a healthier America,” Wallen said, “not a sicker America.”
This story was originally published July 1, 2025 at 4:52 PM.