ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT

The 36th District is home to a rich diversity of natural resources and iconic public lands.  Our district is also leading the way in clean, renewable energy industries such as wind, solar, and geothermal. Investing in renewable energy is an important part of fulfilling our obligation as stewards of the environment, and it will also help create clean energy jobs in our communities and strengthen the local economy.

The United States needs a national energy policy that will help our nation achieve energy independence and create clean energy jobs right here at home. Advanced clean energy technology holds tremendous economic potential for the 36th District. We need a comprehensive national energy policy that will invest in clean energy and put us on the path to energy independence. This is an environmental, economic, and national security issue.

In Congress, I am a member of the bipartisan Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency caucus. In addition, I have supported the development of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects and worked to strengthen America’s energy independence through cooperative agreements between the private and public sector. In 2013, I joined 75 of my colleagues urging support for the Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy to spur innovation in renewable electricity generation, sustainable transportation, and energy and cost-saving technologies for businesses and homes.

One of the most important environmental issues facing the 36th District is the Salton Sea.  For far too long, the Salton Sea has posed immense health risks to the families and children in the 36th District and across Southern California.

As an Emergency Room doctor, I know the dangers that the dying Sea poses to our local communities, especially our young children. Pediatric asthma rates in our region are already among some of the highest in the nation, due in large part to the dust beds that form as the Salton Sea continues to dry up.

These health problems will only get worse unless we take aggressive steps to restore the Salton Sea. The consequences will be catastrophic if we fail to act. We must work together on the federal, state, and local level, and through public-private partnerships to prevent the Sea from becoming a public health catastrophe. I have been actively working with local stakeholders, the state of California, the President’s Administration, and my colleagues in Congress to take action on this issue and meet this crisis head on as a community. 

HEALTH CARE

As an emergency medicine physician, I know how important it is for people in the 36th District to have access to quality, affordable health care. Some improvements have been made to our health care system, such as allowing parents to insure their children until the age of 26, making prescription drugs more affordable for seniors, and ensuring that people with preexisting conditions cannot be denied insurance coverage. However, our system remains imperfect and expensive, wasting billions every year and we must continue working to improve it.

I am first and foremost a physician, and the health of our communities is my chief concern. I will continue to fight to protect the Medicare and Social Security benefits that seniors have worked hard to earn and find bipartisan solutions that will improve our nation’s health care system. Good ideas don’t belong to a single party, and I will continue to reach across the aisle to improve healthcare for the residents of California’s 36th Congressional District.

Recently Introduced Legislation: 

• H.R. 4030, the Diversifying Investigations Via Equitable Research Studies for Everyone (DIVERSE) Act, which would increase diversity in clinical trial participation through outreach to underrepresented populations to improve health outcomes and access to lifesaving vaccines, medications, and treatments.
• H.R. 4014, the Physician Shortage GME Cap Flex Act of 2021, which would address the national physician workforce shortage by empowering new teaching hospitals in underserved areas to increase the number of Medicare-funded residency training slots in their programs.
• H.R. 2163, the SAFE Step Act, which would improve step therapy protocols and ensure patients are able to safely and efficiently access the best treatment for them.

Dr. Ruiz's Health Care Legisaltion Signed into Law: 

• H.R. 5605, the Advancing High Quality Treatment for Opioid Use Disorders in Medicare Act, was signed into law as part of the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act on October 24, 2018. My bill expands access to wraparound services for seniors with opioid use disorders.
• H.R. 3917, the Extend funding for Special Diabetes Program Act, was signed into law as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 on February 9, 2018. This bill helps tribes manage, prevent, and treat diabetes in their communities.
• H.R. 3394, the Teaching Health Centers Graduate Medical Education Extension Act, was signed into law as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 on February 9, 2018. This bill helps address the physician shortage crisis in underserved communities by increasing the number of residents in health centers across the country. 
• H.R. 849, the Protecting Seniors' Access to Medicare Act of 2017, was signed into law as part of H.R. 1892, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 on February 9, 2018. This bill will protect seniors' access to the health care that they need by eliminating the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), an unelected panel created through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tasked with reducing Medicare spending.
• H.R. 5714, the EDU Act of 2018, was signed into law as part of the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act on October 24, 2018. 10/24/2018. This bill reduces the chances of addiction both for seniors and anyone who might have access to their medicine cabinets.
• H.R. 1839, the Medicaid Services Investment and Accountability Act of 2019, was signed into law on April 18, 2019. My bill makes essential reforms to Medicaid that puts patients first – helping children and individuals with mental health issues access the care they need.
• H.R. 6261, a bill to provide coverage of COVID-19 testing at no cost for Tribal members receiving health services through the Indian Health Service, was signed into law as part of H.R. 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act on March 18, 2020. My bill ensures that tribal members do not have to pay out of pocket for COVID-19 tests.
• H.R. 6282, the Commission on America’s Medical Security Act, was signed into law as part of the CARES Act on March 27, 2020. My bill helps ensure that we don’t have to fight another pandemic relying on other countries to get the supplies we need here in the U.S.
• H.R. 6283, the Good Samaritan Health Professionals Act, was signed into law as part of the CARES Act on March 27, 2020. My bill ensures that providers risking their own health and well-being to help serve another community battling the COVID-19 pandemic will not be prohibited from doing so just because they do not hold insurance in that state.
• H.R. 2281, the Easy MAT for Opioid Addiction Act, was signed into law as part of the Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021, and Other Extensions Act on December 11, 2020. My bill will help increase the number of patients who make it to long-term treatment and will ease the burden on already overcrowded emergency departments.
• H.R. 2477, the Beneficiary Enrollment Notification and Eligibility Simplification (BENES) Act of 2019, was signed into law as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 on December 27, 2020. My bill will ensure that seniors will no longer be forced to wait for Medicare, facing harmful coverage gaps and potentials leaving them without access to health care, just because they inadvertently missed their initial sign-up period.
• H.R. 2815, the Training the Next Generation of Primary Care Doctors Act of 2019, was signed into law as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act on December 27, 2020. My bill expands the teaching health centers program to aid continued physician growth in areas that have historically not had enough doctors to serve the community.
• H.R. 1889, the Environmental Justice for Coronavirus Affecting Communities Act, was signed into law as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 on March 11, 2021. My bill will improve health outcomes in underserved communities where air quality is a problem.
• H.R. 949, the Expanding Teaching Health Centers Act of 2021, was signed into law as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 on March 11, 2021. My bill expands this program to ensure continued physician growth in areas that have historically not had enough doctors to serve the community.
• H.R. 1373, the Urban Indian Health Parity Act, was signed into law as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 on March 11, 2021. My bill provides critical funding to facilities that serve low-income tribal members in urban areas. 
• H.R. 1708, the Tribal Health Care Protection Fund Act, was signed into law as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 on March 11, 2021. My bill strengthens Tribal health care by ensuring that facilities still have the financial resources to operate despite a drop in services provided during the Covid-19 pandemic.

IMMIGRATION

Immigrants from all over the world have made tremendous contributions to our society and our economy since the birth of our nation. Our immigrant families are an invaluable part of our communities in the 36th District.

Our immigration system is broken, however, and I am working with Democrats and Republicans toward a comprehensive immigration system that is rooted in common sense. For far too long, Congress has failed to act on a comprehensive plan for reform. I believe that any comprehensive immigration reform plan must be bipartisan, secure our borders, uphold the immigration laws we already have, protect our workers and businesses, and include an earned pathway to citizenship for those who work hard and play by the rules. It is time to put aside the political games and work together in a bipartisan effort to address this critical challenge that will secure our borders, improve our economy, provide our businesses a stable workforce, and reduce the deficit by $800 billion.

I strongly support passing the DREAM Act, which will provide our students who are in the United States through no fault of their own the opportunity to get a high-quality education, help grow our economy, serve this country in our military, and contribute to the future of the only nation they have ever called home.

Unfortunately, instead of allowing a vote on the bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill, which passed the Senate over one year ago on September 1, 2014, House Leadership opted to bring two highly partisan bills to the floor which had no chance of becoming law.

H.R. 5230 eliminated the protections for children who are victims of human trafficking and sexual abuse that were enacted with bipartisan support in 2008, and failed to provide adequate support to address the humanitarian crisis at the border.

H.R. 5272 would have rolled back and prevented the implementation of the Dream Act, which allows young people who were brought to this country as children, through no fault of their own, to stay in this country if they are serving in the military or attending college.

Neither of these partisan bills would have solved the crisis at the border or addressed our nation's broken immigration system in the long term. I oppose these bills and I would have voted against both of them. I will continue to work with Members from both parties to achieve comprehensive immigration reform that will reduce our deficit and improve our economy.

JOBS AND ECONOMY

My top priority in Congress is creating jobs. The very first bill I introduced as a Member of Congress was the SelectUSA Authorization Act of 2013, which would provide incentives for global companies and investors to create jobs in the 36th District and across the United States. This legislation is part of the “Make it in America” plan, which is an initiative to spur domestic manufacturing and job creation.

America should be the premier place in the world to do business, and my bill will help increase our nation’s competitiveness in the global economy by recruiting companies to our shores and providing incentives for investors to create high-quality jobs here at home rather than shipping jobs overseas. People all across the 36th District are ready to get to work. 

By attracting global businesses to our local communities, this common sense legislation will help create well-paying jobs and strengthen our economy locally and throughout the country. My bill will help link local communities with international companies and investors who want to expand nationwide, and it helps provide insight into resources such as the Coachella Valley Enterprise Zone and Foreign Trade Zone.

I am proud to be a member of the bipartisan Small Business Caucus, which focuses on bringing Democrats and Republicans together to support small business growth and development.

Small businesses are the drivers of job creation and economic growth and the lifeblood of our economy. They embody the spirit of American entrepreneurship and ingenuity that makes our country the most innovative in the world. But in order for our small businesses to be able to succeed, we need to cut bureaucratic red tape, level the playing field, and foster an economic environment that gives our small business owners the tools they need to create new jobs and thrive.

I was proud to see my small business amendment to the Fiscal Year 2014 National Defense Authorization Act pass with overwhelming bipartisan support. My amendment, which strengthens the ability of small businesses to provide cybersecurity solutions to the federal government, will level the playing field for our small businesses and provide greater opportunities for them to innovate, compete, and create jobs while working to address our growing national cybersecurity threats.

PROBLEM SOLVING AND BIPARTISANSHIP

People in the 36th District are sick of the partisan bickering and political gamesmanship that has led to extreme gridlock in Washington. As a doctor, I have always put people above partisanship and solutions above ideology, and those are the values I’ve brought with me to Washington. 

I have made it a top priority to work with anyone who has a good idea, Republican or Democrat, to find pragmatic solutions to the challenges facing my constituents and our nation. Just recently I worked together with Representative Phil Roe to co-lead the Protecting Seniors’ Access to Medicare Act, which eliminated the Independent Payment Advisory Board, a well-intentioned but misguided attempt to control rising medical costs, it threatened to put an unelected and unaccountable panel in charge of making cuts to Medicare. Dr. Roe and I gathered 270 cosponsors, worked it through the process, and it was signed into law as part of a larger legislative package. This is how we, working together on bipartisan solutions, can start making government work for the people.

Over the years I am proud to have sponsored 5 and been the Democratic lead for 5 Republican bills that have become law. My bills aimed at getting veterans the benefits they have earned and deserve more quickly and efficiency, reducing the appeals backlog, recruiting the best doctors to give veterans the best care, and most recently a bill which protects communities in the wake of a severe wildfire.

The fact is, it doesn’t matter whose name is on the bill, or what party it comes from, if it’s a good idea we have a responsibility to come together and support it. 

SENIOR CITIZENS

I will always stand up for our seniors and protect Medicare and Social Security. We have an obligation to take care of our seniors and ensure they receive the benefits they have earned and planned on in their golden years. These critical programs are commitments we have made to retirees, and I will oppose any effort from either political party that would cut these hard-earned benefits.

To help find cost savings in our health care system, we must identify ways to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse and make our health care system more efficient. Some of the most effective ways to do that include expanding the use of electronic medical records to eliminate costly duplicative tests, and allowing Medicare to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices on prescription drugs.

Recently Introduced Legislation: 

• H.R. 4401, the Protecting Seniors from Health Care Fraud Act of 2021, which would educate seniors on the most prevalent health care fraud schemes to help them avoid falling victim to scams, and to encourage them to report fraud to law enforcement.
• H.R. 5238, the Grandparent Grandchild Medical Leave Act, which would expand the Family and Medical Leave Act to grandparents and grandchildren.

Recently Cosponsored Legislation: 

• HR. 5723, the Social Security 2100 Act, which is a comprehensive update to Social Security benefits and repeals the Windfall Eliminating Provision and Government Pension Offset.
• H.R. 2337, the Public Servants Protection and Fairness Act of 2021, which fixes the Social Security Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) for future retirees and provides meaningful relief to current WEP retirees.

Dr. Ruiz's Legislation Signed Into Law for Seniors:

• H.R. 5605, the Advancing High Quality Treatment for Opioid Use Disorders in Medicare Act, was signed into law as part of the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act on October 24, 2018. My bill expands access to wraparound services for seniors with opioid use disorders. 
• H.R. 849, the Protecting Seniors' Access to Medicare Act of 2017, was signed into law as part of H.R. 1892, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 on February 9, 2018. This bill will protect seniors' access to the health care that they need by eliminating the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), an unelected panel created through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tasked with reducing Medicare spending.
• H.R. 5714, the EDU Act of 2018, was signed into law as part of the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act on October 24, 2018. 10/24/2018. This bill reduces the chances of addiction both for seniors and anyone who might have access to their medicine cabinets.
• H.R. 2477, the Beneficiary Enrollment Notification and Eligibility Simplification (BENES) Act of 2019, was signed into law as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 on December 27, 2020. My bill will ensure that seniors will no longer be forced to wait for Medicare, facing harmful coverage gaps and potentials leaving them without access to health care, just because they inadvertently missed their initial sign-up period.

VETERANS

Veterans in the 36th District and all across the United States have served our country honorably and deserve our unwavering support. While we can never fully repay our veterans for their service to our nation, we have an obligation to work together as Democrats and Republicans to ensure they have access to the high-quality care and receive benefits they have earned and deserve. 

I am working aggressively with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to end the VA benefits backlog, expand and improve access to health care for veterans in the 36th District, improve educational and job opportunities for heroes returning home, and combat veterans’ homelessness. As the co-founder of the Congressional Burn Pits Caucus, I am also working to get burn pits exposed veterans' the health care and benefits they deserve from the VA.

Recently Introduced Legislation: 

• H.R. 2372, the Presumptive Benefits for War Fighters Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxins Act of 2021, which would establish a list of new diseases as service-connected for which veterans can receive VA benefits as a result of toxic exposure while serving in the military.
• H.R. 2371, the Veterans’ Right to Breathe Act, which establishes presumption of service connection for pulmonary diseases associated to burn pit exposure.
• H.R. 2432, the Jennifer Kepner HOPE Act, which would provide veterans exposed to burn pits eligibility for VA Healthcare and enrollment in Priority Group 6.

Dr. Ruiz's Legislation Signed into Law for Veterans:

• H.R. 5007, the Restoring Accountability in Veterans Access to Health Care Act, was signed into law as part of the Veterans’ Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014 on August 7, 2014. My bill helps address the provider shortage at the VA, which will lead to increased access to our veterans seeking the care that they earned and deserve.
• H.R. 732, the Veterans’ Access to Speedy Review Act, was signed into law as part of the Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2016 on December 16, 2016. My bill reduces wait times for veterans waiting for their disability claim review and eliminates substantial travel costs by guaranteeing the option of video teleconferencing for hearings before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals.
• H.R. 2691, the Veterans' Survivors Claims Processing Automation Act, was signed into law the Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2016 on December 16, 2016. My bill helps grieving family members get their survivor benefits more quickly and with less hassle by allowing the VA to expedite payment of certain survivor benefits to eligible family members upon the death of a veteran.
• H.R. 4150, the Department of Veterans Affairs Emergency Medical Staffing Recruitment and Retention Act, was signed into law as part of the Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2016 on December 16, 2016. My bill helps increase access to health care for veterans through reduced wait times by providing the VA with the ability to implement flexible physician and physician assistant work schedules, increasing their ability to recruit and retain staff. 
• H.R. 271, the COVER Act, was signed into law as part of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 on July 22, 2016. This bill increases therapy options for veterans to help them combat PTSD and manage chronic pain by establishing a commission to examine VA’s current therapy model and the potential benefits in incorporating complementary alternative therapies.
• H.R. 3471, the Veterans Mobility Safety Act, was signed into law on December 14, 2016. My bill helps ensure veterans' safety by establishing a set of standards for modifying vehicles to accommodate disabled veterans, empowering them to remain mobile and lead a healthy and full life.
• H.AMDT. 639 was signed into law as part of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 on August 13, 2018. My amendment protects members of our armed services from the harmful burn pits that their predecessors were exposed to by requiring the DOD to conduct a feasibility study on phasing out the use of burn pits.
• H.AMDT.645 was signed into law as part of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 on August 13, 2019. My amendment increases the amount of data collected by the burn pits registry, leading to a more comprehensive understanding of the negative long-term health effects of burn pit exposure.
• H.R. 4930, the Wounded Veterans Recreation Act, was signed into law on December 3, 202. My bill would ensure that all veterans with a service-connected disability will receive a free lifetime pass to our country’s National Parks.
• H.R. 7597, the DOD Burn Pits Research Status Act, was signed into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 on January 1, 2021. My bill helps in our fight against burn pits by increasing transparency between the DOD and Congress so that Congress can better assess the effects of burn pits on veterans.
• H.R. 7598, the Post-Deployment Burn Pit Question Act, was signed into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 on January 1, 2021. My bill helps in our fight against burn pits by increasing reporting of burn pits and toxic exposures when servicemembers are filling their post-deployment forms
• H. Amdt. 331 was signed into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 on December 20, 2019. My bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to conduct an implementation plan to phase out the use of the nine active burn pits identified in an April 2019 report to Congress.
• H. Amdt. 332 was signed into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 on December 20, 2019. My bill directs the DOD to provide Congress and the Veterans Administration with a list of the locations of military bases, posts, forward operating bases, combat outposts, and any other locations at which open-air burn pits have been used.
• H.R. 4397, the DOD Burn Pits Health Provider Training Act, was signed into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 on December 27, 2021. My bill will help ensure that symptoms of burn pit exposure are not overlooked or underdiagnosed.
• H.R. 4400, the Burn Pit Registry Expansion Act, was signed into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022. My bill helps researchers better understand the full extent of the damage done by the exposure.

Veterans University

Veterans University is for veterans, servicemembers, their families, and anyone in our community interested in learning about how to improve the lives of veterans in a welcoming classroom environment. 



Veterans University is a one-day event covering a myriad of topics including: health care and disability benefits, exposure to burn pits, mental health, female veteran-specific topics, home ownership, and employment resources for veterans. Presenters include representatives from Veteran Service Organizations, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Small Business Administration.

Presenters will provide a broad overview of each benefit, followed by practical and detailed information on how to access the benefits described. Participants will also receive contact information they can utilize, should they have difficulty accessing benefits on their own. There will also be a veterans' resource expo with many local organizations and agencies that serve veterans.