Press Release

As a measles outbreak that is believed to have started in California's Disneyland has spread to 14 states with no signs of its slowing, Congressman Ami Bera M.D. urged people to get vaccinated. The latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) show more than 102 people are now infected. Bera offered the following comment:

"As a doctor and former chief medical officer of Sacramento County, I know the scientific evidence is irrefutable: vaccines save lives and are one of the most important medical advancements in our lifetimes. The measles outbreak is a serious public health concern, not a topic that should be politicized. It is our responsibility to educate families to make sure all parents understand the potential dangers unvaccinated children face and that vaccines are the safest and most effective tool we have for preventing infectious diseases like measles."

The CDC estimates that vaccinations will prevent more than 21 million hospitalizations and 732,000 deaths among children born in the last twenty years.

Bera has represented Sacramento County in Congress since 2013. 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 Bera follow @RepBera on Twitter, like Congressman Bera on Facebook, or visit https://www.bera.house.gov.