In the summer of 1990, Raul walked in the desert heat from business to business in the Coachella Valley asking them to invest in their community – by contributing to his education. Farmworkers have been hard-hit by COVID-19, with more than an estimated 15,700 workers testing positive statewide as of mid-September. Protecting the health and safety of farmworkers during the pandemic will also benefit the economy, said Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia, a Democrat who represents the eastern Coachella Valley and Imperial County. The commissioner's website includes a tool, available in English and Spanish, to help people determine if they are eligible for the supplemental paid sick leave. To better protect farmworkers against COVID-19, Ruiz also called for testing at churches and in neighborhoods, as well as contact tracing conducted by Spanish-speaking community health workers and support for workers and families who are forced to isolate or quarantine. I’ll never forget I work for YOU, I and my staff are ready to help. A homegrown candidate and political novice who pulled off 2012’s most unexpected victory, Rep. Raul Ruiz is widely touted as the local Democrats’ biggest success story. Janell Percy, spokesperson for Growing Coachella Valley, said the requirement to provide annual sick time and supplemental leave during the pandemic was not news to Coachella Valley farmers. Campaign YouTube Raul Matthew Ruiz (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California's 36th Congressional District. Riverside County public health director Kim Saruwatari noted that the eastern Coachella Valley communities have been hard-hit by COVID-19 and said the education and outreach are among the "critical tools that we have to slow and eventually stop this virus". 24 Dec 2020 170 1:23 Representative Raul Ruiz (D-MD) reacted Thursday to President Donald Trump’s second round of pardons. Please send tips and comments to Rebecca Beitsch at rbeitsch@thehill.com. County and elected leaders highlighted these disparities at the event and called for change. Welcome to Overnight Energy, The Hill's roundup of the latest energy and environment news. I take our responsibility to them and their families very seriously. Farmers, he said, "have to be part of the equation in order for us to be successful with this outcome. Mueller’s report on the investigation into Russia’s role in the 2016 U.S. election and contacts between Trump’s campaign and Moscow is expected to be completed early in this year. indicating that Raul Ruiz, a Dean Dozen candidate running for Congress in Californias 36th Congressional District, is leading Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack in a second consecutive poll. Federal and state law granted supplemental leave for food-sector workers in April; California extended the benefit to all industries in September, she said. TODEC Legal Center, a nonprofit organization supporting immigrants in the Inland Empire, is launching the program in Riverside, San Bernardino, Imperial and Inyo counties, and the California Labor Commissioner’s Office is spreading the message to other agricultural regions across the state. The effort is part of a new, statewide campaign called Sembrando Prevención, or Harvesting Prevention, aimed at educating farmworkers about health, safety and labor rights amid the coronavirus pandemic, and connecting them with available resources. Fundraising profile for Rep. Raul Ruiz - California District 36. If you do not know the four digit +4 extension for your ZIP code, please check the U.S. Please fill out this form and we will get back to you shortly! Effective, firm, poised. Raul Matthew Ruiz, a 57-year-old Republican carpenter from Perris, is running because "he sees the big government policies that AOC, Congressman Ruiz … Postal Service website for more information.. Ruiz graduated magna cum laude from UCLA. Fundraising profile for Rep. Raul Ruiz - California District 36. The son of hardworking farmworkers, Dr. Ruiz grew up in Coachella, CA and learned at an early age that the key to attaining the American Dream is hard work and a great education. The Democrat-led House of Representatives in April passed legislation to create a $200 billion hazard pay fund for essential workers, but the Republican-controlled Senate balked and the provision has stalled. *Includes contributions from other candidate committees. The campaign will also educate workers about a program, called Housing for the Harvest, that provides support and financial relief to workers who have tested positive for COVID-19 or been exposed to the virus. from the John F. Kennedy School of Government and a Mas… And while agricultural laborers, as essential workers, could be at the front of the line for a vaccine, that help could be weeks or months away. PAID FOR BY DR. RAUL RUIZ FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE. The campaign comes at a critical moment in the pandemic. Inside packinghouses, they are erecting barriers at work sites and break rooms when possible, providing people with both face masks and shields when such barriers aren't possible; and staggering shifts and lunch breaks. Nestande, a Palm Desert Republican, who is challenging Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Raul Ruiz for the 36th Congressional seat, made these statements during a joint interview with Ruiz … Farmworkers harvest green chard in an agricultural field in Thermal, November 23, 2020. On the Democratic side, incumbent Rep. Raul Ruiz has handily out-fundraised both Republicans, and started the campaign season sitting on a sizable war chest left over from his 2016 campaign. The four-term incumbent could face a GOP challenge from Raul … Serving the veterans who have served our country is a true honor for me as a Congressman. Volunteers and staff from Todec Legal Center give thanks to nearby farmworkers who were harvesting vegetables in Thermal, November 23, 2020. (CA-36) and Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) introduced bipartisan legislation to help disabled veterans access their full earned benefits. Under Riverside County's version of the program, farmworkers who are quarantined or in isolation receive grocery delivery, a dedicated case worker who calls and provides daily wellness checks and, critically, a $2,000 check to ensure they can fully recover at home without facing financial fallout from lost wages. Ruiz Calls on Walmart to Bring More Vaccines to Riverside County February 26, 2021 Press Release “If you are retaliated against, you have the right to file a claim. Ruiz was born in Zacatecas City, Mexico and raised in Coachella, California. Excellent job, @KamalaHarris. Farmworkers are at especially high risk of exposure to COVID-19 due to working conditions in fields and packing facilities, lack of preventive education and protection equipment, and crowded transportation to and from work, advocates say. Todec and the California Labor Commissioner's Office have begun a campaign to educate farmworkers about COVID-19 protections and their rights as workers. Some people continue working despite being symptomatic, because they need a regular paycheck to feed and shelter their families, they say. Raised: $3,124,118 Spent: $2,468,444 "All of us within the organization, including myself, have lost loved ones, so this is why it's so important to continue protecting our workers.". Just months after he was born in Zacatecas, Mexico, Ruiz's biological mother died in the coastal Mexican city of Mazatlan. The fall harvest in Southern California is now at full tilt, as COVID-19 surges in the state. Recognizing the physician shortage crisis in the Coachella Valley, Dr. Ruiz started a pre-medical mentorship program for young aspiring doctors, which has grown to include over 100 local students. Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.) announced Tuesday he tested positive for the coronavirus, marking the latest infection in a burgeoning outbreak on Capitol Hill. 1, the For the People Act. The campaign is "a good reminder for the field workers," she said. Both polls indicate that Ruizs campaign The majority Latino cities of Indio and Coachella, and the more rural, predominantly farmworker communities of Thermal, Oasis and Mecca have had the highest rate of cases based on population in the Coachella Valley. He is the incumbent, having served in this position since 2013. “If you ask me, it doesn’t take a doctor to understand that this is a recipe for death with this pandemic,” U.S. Rep. Raul Ruiz, a Democrat who is also an emergency room doctor, said at the event. Agricultural employers already educate workers about a variety of COVID-related issues during regular "tailgate meetings," Percy said. Raul is running because he has lived the American Dream. "This is not optional.". They have always prioritized food safety practices, they say, and have taken additional steps to keep their crews safe amid the pandemic. A major goal of the campaign is to inform farmworkers about their right to sick leave under state law. Charges were dropped as part of a deal that also dismissed claims of police brutality. Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.) won his re-election bid Tuesday, besting Republican rival Brian Nestande in the race to represent California's 36th Congressional District. Myriad factors have left the farmworker community ravaged by COVID-19. "As far as the growers," she added, "we've been following the laws since they've been enacted.". ", Phone: (202) 225-5330 Please call our Washington, DC office for assistance if you have difficulties completing this form. from HMS, a Master of Public Policy (M.P.P.) 4 talking about this. Ruiz called for hazard pay for essential workers at high risk of contract the virus. Washington, D.C. – Today, the House passed Representative Raul Ruiz, M.D.’s (CA-36) legislation, H.R. The program became part of the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine, where Dr. Ruiz served as a Senior Associate Dean. Fax: (202) 225-1238. As farmworkers picked the chard, kale and beets that Americans will eat on Thanksgiving Day, a truck blaring a recorded message pulled up to an eastern Coachella Valley field. Res. The death left Ruiz's biological father deeply distraught, Ruiz said. Additionally, farmworkers are largely uninsured and lack access to basic health services. Name: Raul Ruiz: Address: Palm Desert, California , United States: Email: None: Website: Born: August 25, 1972 (47 years) Contributor: IndyGeorgia: Last Modifed NEW California Campaign Aims to Inform Farmworkers About Labor Rights Amid COVID-19 Pandemic | Congressman Raul Ruiz NEW California Campaign Aims to Inform Farmworkers About Labor Rights Amid COVID-19 Pandemic November 24, 2020 While Washington remains gridlocked, I am committed to serving and helping constituents with the problems they have with the federal government and cutting red tape. Some are fearful of utilizing health services and avoid getting tested, concerned that a positive result would make it harder for them to gain United States citizenship in the future. … Yesterday, the Ruiz campaign released a poll from Lake Research Partners that showed Ruiz up by 3 points. “You have the right to these hours without fear of retaliation,” Garcia-Brower said. Ruiz’s bill prohibits taxpayer dollars from being spent on businesses owned or controlled by the President, Vice President, Cabinet members, or their immediate family. The program is a collaboration between the state, Riverside County and TODEC. 5) setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2021 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2022 through 2030. Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) was tapped to lead the Congressional Hispanic Caucus's (CHC) campaign arm Wednesday, taking over a body with growing influence in Washington. "Educating workers about what they can do to protect themselves will help prevent the spread of COVID-19 among workers in the fields and also among their families," she said. Representative Raul Ruiz grew up in Coachella, CA, and currently resides in La Quinta, CA. The provision sunsets Dec. 31. 231, the Public Service Spending Integrity Act, as part of H.R. I have spent my time in Congress standing up for seniors by fighting to protect and expand Medicare and Social Security. Along with the truck, which is broadcasting the message across the eastern Coachella Valley, volunteers and outreach workers are also visiting workers in the fields, as well as in neighborhoods and at churches and food drives, to distribute tote bags filled with face masks, gloves and packets of information from county and state agencies. His parents were farmworkers. IT’S MONDAY! But that number is likely much higher, as many people have declined to share information about their occupation with the county. It’s a promise I made when I first ran and it’s a promise I have kept. He was the first Latino to receive three graduate degrees from Harvard University: a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) H.R. He withdrew before the primary election on March 3, … Rep. Raul Ruiz, a Democrat, has represented the 36th Congressional District and will be up for reelection in November 2020. Growers, meanwhile, say most workers are able to practices social distancing in the fields. NOTE: All the numbers on this page are for the 2019 - 2020 election cycle and based on Federal Election Commission data released electronically on 02/27/21 for Fundraising totals, Source of Funds and Total Raised vs Average, and on 02/01/21 for Top Contributors and Industries. All California workers, including farmworkers, have 24 hours of annual paid sick leave, and up to 80 hours of supplemental leave if they are advised or ordered to quarantine or self-isolate due to COVID-19, Labor Commissioner Lilia García-Brower said during a campaign kick-off event in Thermal on Monday morning. Ruiz: 'A recipe for death with this pandemic'. He graduated from Coachella Valley High School at age 17 and went to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1990, graduating magna cum laude before attending Harvard Medical School (HMS). “California and federal laws give you the right to paid time off, so you can stay home.”. Or you can reach us by phone or mail: Campaign Telephone: (760) 360-2495 Campaign Mailing Address: “If you or someone close to you tests positive for COVID-19, you should be able to focus on your health and not worry about your paycheck,” it said in English and Spanish. In Riverside County, at least 4,300 farmworkers and day laborers had tested positive for COVID-19 as of Oct. 29, according to county data. Skip to Navigation; ... Campaign Committee & Leadership PAC Combined. Vote: Raul Ruiz voted Yea (Passage) - H Res 101 - Providing for the adoption of the concurrent resolution (S. Con. – This week, Congressmen Raul Ruiz, M.D. He went on to earn three degrees from Harvard University—a medical doctorate, a master's in public policy, and a master's in public health.In 1997, while studying at Harvard, Ruiz participated in a Thanksgiving protest in Plymouth, Massachusetts; he was arrested. If your employer threatens you because of immigration status, threatens a relative because of immigration status, or threatens to call the police because of your immigration status, that is all illegal in California.”, She continued: “I am here today to let you know that all farmworkers in California are protected, all workers regardless of status, and my office is committed to ensuring that [the laws] are followed.”, "If you are an employer, you need to understand that you have obligations," she said. Raul Ruiz’s most recent views and policy on Campaign Finance in 2021. Campaign Committee Fundraising, 2017 - 2018. Doing so, he added, requires the collaboration of local organizations and state agencies, as well as growers. Incumbent Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Palm Desert, and Republican challenger Erin Cruz likely will face off in the November general election in California's 36th Congressional District. The nonprofit organization represents local growers. According to campaign materials, he is running to serve his community and address the issues his district faces by being a strong advocate in Washington. With each investment for college, he made a promise to come back home and serve his community as a physician. "This is very personal," TODEC director Luz Gallegos said of the outreach effort. The practice of one or more multi-generational families sharing households for budgetary reasons, common in farmworker communities, has also driven up the rate of the virus among this population, advocates say. These men and women sacrificed... Small business is the lifeblood of the American economy. Ruiz was first elected in 2012, defeating incumbent Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R). Some of the recent pardons include long-time Trump allies Roger Stone and Paul Manafort and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner’s father, Charles Kushner. Raul Ruiz is a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, representing the 36th district of California.. Background. In the summer of 1990, Raul walked in the desert heat from business to business in the Coachella Valley asking them to invest in their community – by contributing to his education. With each investment for college, he made a promise to come back home and serve his community as a physician.