Congressman Bera grew up believing America was a land of opportunity, where if you worked hard and played by the rules, you could reach your full potential. He attended California’s public schools from grammar school through medical school, earning both his B.S. and M.D. from the University of California, Irvine. He put himself through medical school, working part-time, taking advantage of federally-funded student loans, and graduating with less than $10,000 in debt. He credits much of his success to his country’s investment him, and he’s working to ensure that we continue to invest in hard working Americans to keep the American Dream alive for the next generation.

During Congressman Bera's twenty-year medical career, he worked to improve the availability, quality, and affordability of healthcare. After graduating from medical school in 1991, he did his residency in internal medicine at California Pacific Medical Center, eventually becoming chief resident. He went on to practice medicine in the Sacramento area, serving in various leadership roles for MedClinic Medical Group. Chief among his contributions was improving the clinical efficiency of the practice. He then served as medical director of care management for Mercy Healthcare, where he developed and implemented a comprehensive care management strategy for the seven-hospital system.

Congressman Bera went on to put his medical experience to work for his community, serving Sacramento County as chief medical officer. In that role, he fought to reduce the cost of health care, create jobs, and deliver care to tens of thousands of Sacramento residents. He then moved into education, working as clinical professor of medicine and associate dean for admissions and outreach at University of California, Davis, where he taught the next generation of doctors. He also helped the University’s student-run clinics find innovative ways to engage with the community and deliver care to those who needed it most.

In Congress, Bera uses the skills he learned as a doctor to listen to the people of Sacramento County and to put their interests first. His top priority is to build an economy that works for the middle class by working with his colleagues regardless of party. That’s why he’s an original co-sponsor of No Budget No Pay, legislation that says if Congress doesn’t do its job and work together to pass a responsible budget, members don’t get paid.