As the debt ceiling deadline approaches, residents across northwestern Pennsylvania were protesting in the hopes of protecting social programs.

Dozens of protesters from both Erie and Venango Counties were speaking out in Perry Square.

A group called Oil Region Rising organized the protest, calling on members of congress.

They want to protect programs like Medicaid, snap, and housing, which could soon be cut from the federal budget.

“What we’re here to do is try to make a point to Representative Kelly that we expect him to consider what a debt ceiling crisis is going to do to his constituents. We don’t want cuts for people who are only living on Social Security. We don’t want cuts in Medicare. We want to raise the taxes on the wealthy and people who can afford it and help us out here,” said Beth Wilcox, of Oil Region Rising.

June 1 is the deadline for the United States to raise the debt ceiling.