Press Releases
Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. advocated for improved drinking water standards to protect underserved communities like the Oasis Mobile Home Park in Thermal, California. Dr. Ruiz, who is also Vice-Chair of the Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee, called for reforms to the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) to make clean drinking water more accessible and affordable during today's hearing entitled, "There's Something in the Water: Reforming Our Nation's Drinking Water Standards."
Washington, DC – Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-36) is calling on the IRS to expedite stimulus checks to people who still have not received their Economic Impact Payments (stimulus checks) and to be more responsive in answering inquiries about the status of pending checks. In a letter to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Charles Rettig, Dr. Ruiz said his office had submitted 80 inquiries and received fewer than 20 responses from the IRS.
Washington, DC – Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-36) is putting pressure on companies to ensure vulnerable populations and frontline workers have access to COVID-19 vaccines. During a House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing, Dr. Ruiz questioned executives on their vaccine distribution plans to address health disparities.
Washington, DC – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed four of Dr. Ruiz's bills as amendments to address the military's use of toxic burn pits. The four pieces of legislation, which passed as part of H.R. 6395, the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021, would expand the Burn Pits Registry, enhance medical training on the health effects of burn pits, increase reporting of burn pit exposure, and require a status update from the Department of Defense on all burn pits research.
Washington DC – This week, Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-36) introduced five new pieces of legislation to address the military's use of toxic burn pits. Dr. Ruiz has consistently fought for legislation on behalf of servicemembers exposed to burn pits. This bill package follows Dr.
Washington, D.C. – Today Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-36) advocated for his bill that would improve seniors' access to Medicare coverage by expanding beneficiary outreach and education to help clarify when and how to sign up for Medicare Part B and reducing gaps in coverage. Speaking during a full Energy and Commerce Committee Markup Wednesday, Dr.
Washington, DC – Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-36) is calling on President Donald Trump to extend the expanded unemployment benefits made available under H.R. 748, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. In a letter to President Trump, Dr. Ruiz and 109 other members of the House of Representatives urged an extension of these expanded benefits, which are set to expire at the end of the month.
Palm Desert, CA – Representatives Ruiz (CA-36), Barragán (CA-44), Correa (CA-46), Lieu (CA-33), and Porter (CA-45) held a call with regional reporters today calling on the Senate to take up the Heroes Act, which the House passed in May. The Heroes Act would protect the paychecks of frontline workers, provide direct payments of up to $6,000 for families who are struggling, extend expanded unemployment benefits that will expire at the end of the month if the Senate fails to act, support small businesses, and invest in the testing needed to reopen our economy safely.
Washington, DC – Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. questioned former Indian Health Service (IHS) Director Dr. Charles Grim D.D.S., M.H.S.A., of the Chickasaw Nation about how to address the severe shortage of health care providers at IHS facilities across the nation. The exchange came during an Energy and Commerce Committee hearing this week titled, "Addressing the Urgent Needs of Our Tribal Communities."
Washington, DC – Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-36) is calling on the Department of Defense Inspector General to conduct an investigation into the death of Army Spc. Vanessa Guillén. In a letter to Acting Inspector General O'Donnell, Dr. Ruiz and 86 other members of Congress urged a prompt and thorough review of the disappearance of Spc. Vanessa Guillén.