Padilla, California Leaders Sound Alarm as Trump Administration Cuts Billions in Federal Funding

SACRAMENTO, CA - As the Trump Administration moves to slash federal funding and rewrite longstanding grant programs, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) convened California leaders to sound the alarm about the consequences for communities across the state. The roundtable included a discussion among leaders from California universities, nonprofits, childcare, food banks, immigrant-serving organizations, and philanthropy.

In California alone, the Trump Administration has cancelled $7.6 billion in clean energy funding, withdrawn nearly $2 billion in research funding, and continues to withhold overdue disaster relief funding for communities impacted by wildfires. New changes to federal grantmaking and regulations could put even more funding - and the essential services that depend on it - at risk.

"The Trump Administration is ripping away billions of dollars that California communities rely on to keep people safe, housed, fed and healthy," said Senator Padilla. "These are not abstract budget numbers. It means childcare providers struggling to stay open, food banks facing greater demand, researchers losing support, and disaster survivors waiting for the resources they need to rebuild. I'm grateful to the leaders on the front lines who are fighting back, and I will continue doing my part in Congress to protect the critical programs that Californians depend on."

Padilla's roundtable featured a discussion about how interruptions or restrictions in federal funding could impact basic needs, public education, housing, healthcare, childcare, and immigrant and marginalized communities. The roundtable also highlighted the need for continued coordination and preparedness as organizations navigate an increasingly uncertain federal funding environment. Padilla and California leaders emphasized the importance of collaboration among philanthropy, nonprofits, public institutions, and government to keep essential services running and protect vulnerable communities.

In addition to Padilla, the roundtable featured remarks from the Chancellor of UC Davis Gary S. May, CEO of CalNonprofits Geoff Green, CEO of California Alliance of Child and Family Services Pete Weldy, President of Child Care Resource Center Donna Sneeringer, Executive Director of CalCAPA David Knight, Executive Director of California Immigrant Policy Center Masih Fouladi, Executive Director of Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) Angelica Salas, CEO of League of California Community Foundations Laura Seaman, and Director of Public Policy and Advocacy of California Food Banks Jared Call.

"The University of California urges Congress to provide a legislative fix that would prevent OMB's detrimental changes to the Uniform Guidance from going into effect," said UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May. "This fix would protect the merit-based research process that has allowed UC and the nation to lead the world in innovation."

"California's nonprofit sector is central to our state's social, economic, and environmental well-being," said Geoff Green, CEO of CalNonprofits. "At $450 billion in annual revenue, 110,000 organizations strong, and the third largest private employer, California's nonprofits serve every community across the state. Working arm in arm with our public and private sector partners, we stand as a bulwark against federal attacks on our state's people and values, and call on our elected representatives at all levels to defend the golden state's 40 million residents."

"The vulnerable families served by California's community-based nonprofits are hanging on by a thread - and that thread is Medi-Cal. Cut a parent off from care, and kids get hurt too," said Pete Weldy, CEO of California Alliance of Child and Family Services."CA Alliance members thank Senator Padilla for fighting to protect the coverage our families - and our future - depend on."

"Stable and reliable child care is critical to the well-being of our young children, their families and employers," said Donna Sneeringer, President of Child Care Resource Center. "Repeated disruptions or threats to the funding that provides these services creates repeated stress and fear in our communities."

"CalCAPA represents California's Community Action Network, operating federally funded opportunities, including the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG), to help American families build toward economic mobility," said David Knight, Executive Director of CalCAPA. "When final budgets get held up, OMB creates funding holds, leading to stalled programs, staff lay offs, and families paying for Washington's delays."

"Every dollar the federal government spends is a choice - and right now, it's choosing detention and intimidation over health care, food, due process, and the nonprofits standing with immigrant communities," said Masih Fouladi, Executive Director of the California Immigrant Policy Center. "We are grateful to Senator Padilla for his consistent leadership in defending immigrant families and his efforts to advance the right to legal representation for people facing deportation. Together, we must protect California's safety net, sustain immigration legal services, defend the lawful work of community organizations, and ensure public dollars support families and due process, not detention and family separation."

"CHIRLA is grateful for Senator Padilla's leadership to ensure that all Californians have access to federal funding for basic needs and to address ongoing crises, including fires, and immigration enforcement. We know that budgets reflect our collective values. It's unacceptable that billions of dollars are invested in agencies meant to harm the most vulnerable. That's why we must fight to represent the most vulnerable while ensuring that due process is preserved for the countless families facing multiple crises at home, including food insecurity, natural disasters, arrests and detention, and family separation. We're proud to be fighting alongside a true champion for California residents and values," stated Angelica Salas, Executive Director, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA).

"Californians prove every day what's possible when local generosity rises to meet a crisis, but the altruism of neighbors was never meant to replace federal investment in resilience, and it can't," said Laura Seaman, CEO of League of California Community Foundations. "As Washington considers even deeper cuts to the programs and infrastructure that keep Californians safe from all kinds of disasters and crises, we thank Senator Padilla and his colleagues for recognizing that while local communities can prepare for and respond to a crisis, only sustained federal investment can prevent the next one. Philanthropy and nonprofits are ready to partner with Senator Padilla and his colleagues in that work."

"California Food Banks™ thanks Senator Padilla for his strong leadership on anti-hunger issues and standing with Californians who are trying to make ends meet," said Stacia Levenfeld, CEO of California Food Banks. "We urge Senator Padilla and all members of the California delegation to stand firm in their commitment to aid farmers, and also support families who need help putting food on the table."

Last week, Padilla joined his Senate colleagues in demanding the Trump Administration stop delaying Federal Transit Administration funding for public transportation projects. In July, Padilla blasted the Trump Administration for Trump's supplemental funding request that did not include disaster aid funding for communities to rebuild and recover following natural disasters across the country.

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