Press Release
August 14, 2014
Contact: Jessica Knight, (202) 454-4590 [email protected]
Jenesse Miller, 510-271-0900 or [email protected]
WASHINGTON, DC—The California League of Conservation Voters (CLCV) and the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Action Fund, announced today its endorsement of Dr. Raul Ruiz for re-election to Congress (CA-36). Dr. Ruiz is a strong proponent of making America a leader in clean energy, combating climate change and protecting public health.
“Dr. Raul Ruiz is a clean energy champion who advocates for bipartisan solutions that reduce our reliance on dirty fossil fuels and create good paying jobs,” said LCV Action Fund President Gene Karpinski. “He is committed to safeguarding our environment for generations to come by working to combat climate change.”
“Congressman Raul Ruiz has dedicated his career to protecting public health, and continues this leadership in Congress by working to clean up our air and water and restore the Salton Sea,” said Sarah Rose, CEO of the California League of Conservation Voters. “He is a champion for our environment and for the people of Southern California, advocating for polices that fight pollution while creating jobs in the clean energy economy.”
“I am honored to receive the endorsement from CLCV and LCV Action Fund,” said Dr. Ruiz. “They have been tireless advocates for the environment, and I strongly support their critical work. I look forward to partnering with CLCV and LCV to create clean energy jobs, defend our environment, and improve the conditions surrounding the Salton Sea.”
As a physician, Dr. Ruiz has witnessed the Salton Sea become one of the district’s most important public health issues. In fact, California’s 36th district has one of the highest pediatric asthma rates in the country, mainly due to the Salton Sea drying up and creating dust beds. That is why Congressman Ruiz is working with federal and state officials as well as local stakeholders to create a public-private partnership to help restore the Salton Sea.
A member of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency caucus and the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC), Dr. Ruiz is committed to making America energy independent by growing our clean energy economy and increasing energy efficiency. He advocates for the expansion of clean energy industries like wind and solar by working to extend tax incentives, which will create jobs right here at home. Dr. Ruiz has also introduced legislation that will spur job growth by creating a public-private partnership to expand job training to people in the clean energy and energy efficiency sectors.
Dr. Ruiz’s voting record earned him an 86% on LCV’s National Environmental Scorecard in 2013, his first year in Congress. The non-partisan Scorecard is the nationally accepted yardstick used to rate members of Congress on environmental and clean energy issues. Based on key environmental votes in the House and Senate, it is often used by the media to quickly describe a Member’s record. For more information, visit http://scorecard.lcv.org.
ABOUT CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL VOTERS
California Environmental Voters (formerly the California League of Conservation Voters) believes the climate crisis is here and this moment requires transformative change. California has the policy solutions to stop climate change but lacks the political will to do it at the rate and scale that’s necessary. EnviroVoters exists to build the political power to solve the climate crisis, advance justice, and create a roadmap for global action. We organize voters, elect and train candidates, and hold lawmakers accountable for bold policy change. We won’t stop until we have resilient, healthy, thriving communities, and a democracy and economy that is just and sustainable for all. Join us at www.envirovoters.org and on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. See more press releases.
