Press Release

Earlier today, Rep. Ami Bera, M.D. met with dozens of members of Congress, state and local officials and business and community leaders for the No Labels National Ideas Meeting. This meeting served as the kick-off to a yearlong process to set a bipartisan vision for where America needs to go and how we get there. Bera participated in the meetings and helped lead a bipartisan discussion on protecting and strengthening Social Security and Medicare into the future. He made the following comment:

"Congress should be a place for service, where we put people ahead of politics and focus on making government work. A national strategic agenda is critical for getting past the gridlock in it will mean both Republicans and Democrats agree on shared goals to move our country forward. Both parties need to listen to one another to find common ground and do what the American people hired us to do: solve our country's problems."

In Congress, Bera is a leader of the No Labels' Problem Solvers group, made-up of dozens of Republicans and Democrats who are committed to getting past the gridlock in Washington. The Problem Solvers are supporting the new governing process to build a National Strategic Agenda, which includes four goals:

• Create 25 million new jobs over the next 10 years;
• Balance the federal budget by 2030;
• Secure Medicare and Social Security for the next 75 years; and
• Make America energy secure by 2024.

Bera helped lead a discussion on protecting and strengthening Social Security and Medicare because as a doctor who's cared for numerous seniors, he knows how important securing these earned benefits is for our seniors. Bera is committed to working with both Republicans and Democrats to produce a responsible budget that reduces our debt and honors the promises we've made to our seniors. He has refused his congressional pension and will not take one until both Social Security and Medicare are secure for today's seniors and future generations.

Congressman Ami Bera, M.D. represents Sacramento County. Born and raised in California, Bera is a physician and the only Indian American currently serving in Congress. He's fighting to rebuild an economy that works for middle class families and to reduce our country's debt in a responsible way. One of Bera's first acts in Congress was to help lead the effort to pass the No Budget No Pay Act, which says if members of Congress don't pass a budget, they don't get paid. As a leader of the No Labels' Problem Solvers, he's working with people from both parties to find bipartisan solutions to our nation's challenges. He and his wife Janine live in Elk Grove with their daughter Sydra. For more updates on Rep. Bera follow @RepBera on Twitter, like Congressman Bera on Facebook, or visithttps://www.bera.house.gov.