'Stand Up for Science and Sanity' rally held in Palo Alto amid looming federal cuts

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- Rally-goers in the South Bay are speaking out and banding together amid looming federal budget cuts.

On Friday evening, a group of doctors, researchers and community members attended a rally in Palo Alto called "Stand Up for Science and Sanity."

"If there's damage that is done in the next 3.5 years with all the things that are being repealed right now, it is going to be 10 times as hard for us to get any of that back," said Dr. Kimberly Gandy.

One of the speakers at the rally was Gandy, a stem cell biologist and former pediatric heart surgeon. She addressed the proposed cuts to Medicaid in President Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" that could leave 10.9 million people without coverage over the next 10 years.

"We've heard this song and dance before -- 'Oh we're not cutting Medicaid, just putting work requirements on there' -- but those work requirements in effect are putting cuts on Medicaid," Gandy said.

MORE: Trump administration asks Supreme Court to leave mass layoffs at Education Department in place

On Friday, Trump had this to say: "We're not touching it other than waste, fraud and abuse."

Army veteran David Page is concerned over planned cuts at the VA.

"Scientists that worked for Veterans Administration and one of the things they did was invent the cardiac pacemaker," Page said.

Page is also advocating for mental health. Just recently, he said he benefited from a week-long training that addressed PTSD.

"It was a great experience, and that's the kind of program that should be getting funded, at least as it is now, but not cut," Page said.

All this comes as sources tell CNN the Trump Administration is preparing to cancel a significant amount of federal funding to California, including the UC and CSU systems.

MORE: CA leaders respond to Trump administration's expected funding cuts to UC, CSU

Those cuts aren't official yet, but state and local leaders say they are bracing for the impact.

On Friday night, the activist organization Raging Grannies sang a tribute to academic freedom.

"You know when we see something that speaks to our hearts, particularly that has to do with children, we got to sing out about it, and that's how we communicate," Granny Ruth said.

Gov. Gavin Newsom fired back over the reported cuts to California, threatening to cut off tax dollars from the state in response.