U.S. Representative Raul Ruiz, M.D., grew up in the community of Coachella, California, where both of his parents were farmworkers.
Dr. Ruiz achieved his lifelong dream of becoming a physician through public education. After graduating from Coachella Valley High School, Dr. Ruiz graduated magna cum laude from UCLA. He went on to Harvard University, where he earned his Medical Degree, as well as a Masters of Public Policy from the Kennedy School of Government and a Masters of Public Health from the School of Public Health, becoming the first Latino to earn three graduate degrees from Harvard University. He completed his Residency in Emergency Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh and a Fellowship in International Emergency Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. During his training, Dr. Ruiz served as a consultant to the Ministries of Health of both Serbia and El Salvador.
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.