Last month, UNITE-LA's Director of Education and Workforce Strategy & Policy, Kelly Reynolds, joined Child Care Resource Center (CCRC) and child care advocates, including EveryChild CA and San Diego for Every Child, in Washington, D.C., for an advocacy trip to meet with lawmakers about the proposed cuts to Medicaid in the reconciliation budget process and the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request. In these meetings, advocates elevated the devastating impacts cuts to Medicaid will have on access to child care, families, businesses and the economy at large.

In addition to meeting with three national partners, advocates met with nearly 20 congressional offices in both parties, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and senators Elizabeth Warren, Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, and also attended a congressional briefing on child care hosted by First Focus.