{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://ruiz.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/government-funding-package-presidents-desk-nearly-21m-investment", "Government Funding Package Off to President's Desk with Nearly $21M Investment for Coachella Valley Projects", "2022-12-23", "2022", "2022-12", "Democrat", "House", "CA", "Raul Ruiz", "R000599", "ruiz.house.gov", "ruiz", "https://ruiz.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, the U.S. House of Representatives sent its Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 government funding package to President Biden\u2019s desk, which includes bold investments that will benefit local projects in California\u2019s 36th District, legislation authored by Congressman Raul Ruiz (CA-36) to honor the legacies of two local heroes, and provisions to address the crisis at the Salton Sea. The legislation will also increase funding for mental health programs for law enforcement officers.\n\nThe funding package \u2013 also known as an omnibus \u2013 invests over $20 million in the 36th District that will improve clean water access in Hemet and the Eastern Coachella Valley, improve roads and bridges in Indio and Desert Hot Springs, expand clean transportation in the region, and strengthen access to child care for local families.\n\n\u201cThis is good news for our local economy and communities. With the $21 million in federal funding that I secured, local families from Hemet to Coachella to Blythe will see critical projects move forward that will drive economic development and strengthen our infrastructure,\u201d said Dr. Ruiz. \u201cI look forward to President Biden quickly signing this legislation into law to deliver these bold investments to our region.\u201d\n\nThe legislation also includes Dr. Ruiz\u2019s bills to rename the La Quinta Post Office and a Palm Springs post office in honor of fallen Marine Cpl. Hunter Lopez and Agua Caliente Tribal Chairman Richard Milanovich, respectively. The omnibus will expand the Bureau of Reclamation\u2019s ability to carry out projects at the Salton Sea and allow the agency to partner with local actors and enter into grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements. These provisions are based on Dr. Ruiz\u2019s legislation, the Salton Sea Projects Improvements Act.\n\nAdditionally, Dr. Ruiz led efforts to increase funding for the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act Grant program under the Department of Justice. Working closely with local law enforcement, Dr. Ruiz successfully secured a $10 million investment for the program. After meeting with local law enforcement in the wake of Palm Springs Officers Zerebny and Vega\u2019s deaths, Dr. Ruiz has worked to increase funding for the program by $8 million.\n\n\u201cI am also thrilled to see the House send my bills that will honor the legacies of Cpl. Hunter Lopez and Agua Caliente Tribal Chairman Richard Milanovich to President Biden\u2019s desk,\u201d continued Dr. Ruiz. \u201cAlong with my provisions to bolster the federal response to the crisis at the Salton Sea and increase mental health funding for our local law enforcement, this year\u2019s funding package will make a positive difference in the lives of my constituents.\u201d\n\nLastly, Dr. Ruiz\u2019s bill, the Physician Wellness Program Act, was included in the funding package. The bill would expand access to hospital-based mental health care programs created to give providers the mental health and wellness resources they need.\n\nThese provisions \u2013 as well as the nearly $21 million community investment \u2013 was met with praise from local leaders.\n\n\u201cI applaud the passage of Dr. Ruiz\u2019s Salton Sea legislation to empower Reclamation to work with local agencies including the Salton Sea Authority to address the public health and environmental crisis impacting our region,\u201d said G. Patrick O\u2019Dowd, Salton Sea Authority Executive Director.\n\n\u201cThe federal government owns some 40 percent of the land in and around the Salton Sea but has had its hands tied when it comes to participating in state-run remediation projects,\u201d said Frank Ruiz, director of Audubon California\u2019s Salton Sea Program. \u201cThis legislation will significantly expand the ability of the Bureau of Reclamation to partner with the region\u2019s other major landowners \u2013 state, local, and Tribal governments \u2013 to address the expanding public health and environmental crisis at the Salton Sea. Audubon California is grateful for Rep. Ruiz\u2019s persistence in bringing much-needed federal attention to our region.\u201d\n\n\u201cExacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, physicians today are experiencing higher levels of burnout \u2014 which may impact their ability to care for their patients,\u201d said Martin Massiello, President and Chief Executive Officer of Eisenhower Health. \u201cEisenhower Health cares deeply about the physical and emotional wellbeing of all physicians, and has worked with Congressman Ruiz\u2019s Office to devise solutions addressing burnout factors physicians face daily. The Physician Wellness Program Act of 2022 will remove a significant barrier that prevented health care organizations like Eisenhower Health from providing comprehensive wellness programs for their physicians. With the passage of this new law, hospitals can now provide counseling, mental health and suicide prevention services, substance use disorder prevention and treatment programs and related wellness services to our physicians without the fear of violating the Stark Law. Eisenhower Health looks forward to supporting its physicians in these very important ways. And we are grateful to Congressman Ruiz for sponsoring the new law and advocating for our physicians\u2019 wellbeing.\u201d\n\n\u201cDAP Health is extremely grateful for this investment in our campus expansion project to increase our ability to close the gap in primary and mental healthcare, as well as provide comprehensive services to increasing numbers of our community in need. This generous funding will enable DAP Health to expand service delivery in Indio and Palm Springs and increase capacity from 10,000 to 25,000 people,\u201d said David Brinkman, CEO of DAP Health.\n\n\u201cThe Hemet Public Works Department has identified over $100 million of capital improvement projects through 2027. Thanks to Congressman Ruiz's leadership and advocacy, water delivery to over 30,000 Hemet customers will remain uninterrupted,\u201d said City of Hemet Public Works Director Noah Rau. \u201cOur ultimate goal has been met here, and that is regional partnership for the betterment of Riverside County communities. The City of Hemet is incredibly grateful for the representation Congressman Ruiz is providing for us at the Capitol, and we remain committed to working with his office to bring the concerns of Hemet constituents to Congress.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are incredibly grateful to have the City of Hemet's priorities brought to the forefront of the federal budget. By advocating for this project, Congressman Ruiz is serving a critical win for our community. On behalf of the entire City Council, thank you for your partnership and continued representation of the 36th District,\u201d said Hemet Mayor Malcolm Lilienthal.\n\n\u201cWe are grateful to Congressman Ruiz for his help securing resources for critical mental health services in the Coachella Valley. Congressman Ruiz\u2019s efforts in securing funds for the Coachella Recovery Village will help connect those in need with vital behavioral health, substance use services, and housing,\u201d said Dr. Matthew Chang of Riverside University Health System.\n\n\u201cIID is pleased to work with Congressman Ruiz on this important energy infrastructure improvement project that will benefit thousands of customers in the communities of Mecca and North Shore in the Coachella Valley. Improving the resiliency of our energy grid in those communities has been a priority for IID and with the Congressman\u2019s support, we are now able to proceed with constructing the first phase of this project,\u201d said Alex Cardenas, President, IID Board of Directors.\n\n\u201cThe passage of the federal Omnibus Bill and Congressman Ruiz\u2019s community projects is key to advancing economic development and sustaining thriving communities throughout the County of Riverside,\u201d said City of Indio Mayor Oscar Ortiz. \u201cHere in Indio, the funding will support critical upgrades to the Interstate 10 and Monroe Street Interchange, enhancing safety and increasing accessibility to Indio\u2019s neighborhoods, businesses and amenities with additional traffic lanes, sidewalks, bike lanes and upgraded traffic lights.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are thankful for Dr. Ruiz\u2019s ongoing advocacy on behalf of the region\u2019s transportation and clean energy goals, and for the selection of SunLine in this funding opportunity,\u201d said Lauren Skiver, CEO/General Manager of SunLine Transit Agency. \u201cThis funding will allow the Agency to expand our public fueling infrastructure, helping to connect the state\u2019s investments in the hydrogen economy to private trucking and the motoring public.\u201d\n\nBACKGROUND\n\nToday\u2019s legislation includes funding for the following projects:\n\nImperial Irrigation District \u2013 Mecca and North Shore Energy Infrastructure Resiliency Project\n\n$2.4 million to reduce energy service interruption resulting from outages often caused by extreme weather events such as high winds and rainstorms.\n\nCity of Hemet \u2013 Water Main Replacement\n\n$1.2 million to replace an aging transmission line from Park Hill\u2019s tank site to the City\u2019s distribution system.\n\nCoachella Valley Water District \u2013 Valley View Mobile Home Park Water Consolidation Project\n\n$3.45 million to install new water mains along Airport Blvd, Fillmore Street, Avenue 55, and Desert Cactus Drive to consolidate nine small water systems into Coachella Valley Water District potable water system.\n\nCity of Indio \u2013 Interstate 10 and Monroe Street Interchange\n\n$1.5 million for the Interstate 10 (I-10) and Monroe Street Interchange Project to reconstruct and widen the Monroe Street interchange on the I-10 freeway.\n\nCity of Desert Hot Springs \u2013 Bridges Over Water Project\n\n$2.5 million to construct two new bridges over low water crossings. These two bridges will be along Indian Canyon Drive.\n\nDesert Aids Project (Palm Springs, CA) \u2013 Campus Expansion\n\n$2 million request to help fund four components of their campus expansion project.\n\nMorongo Band of Mission Indians \u2013 Fire Station\n\n$1 million for the construction of a new fire station on the Morongo Indian Reservation.\n\nRiverside County of Education (Several Cities in CA-36) \u2013Workforce Expansion, Equity, and Engagement Project\n\n$1.4 million request to increase and expand the early education workforce pipeline to address the shortage of child care providers in Riverside County. The Riverside County Early Education Workforce Project will use this funding to increase its workforce by adding 115 licensed child care providers to the early education workforce.\n\nRiverside Health System \u2013 Coachella Recovery Village\n\n$1 million to increase infrastructure capacity, including crisis, residential, outpatient services for mental health / primary care / Substance Use Disorder in homelike settings and housing the homeless population.\n\nSAC Health (Blythe, CA) \u2013 Bus Station\n\n$150,000 to build an all-weather bus bench/shelter and pave the parking lot in front of their new SAC Health Blythe location. This funding would allow individuals to safely access SAC Health through both public and private transportation.\n\nSan Gorgonio Memorial Hospital (Banning, CA) \u2013 Equipment Purchase\n\n$452,000 request to purchase two pieces of equipment. The hospital provides the only Emergency Department in the Pass Area with the next closest facility being 35 minutes to an hour away depending on traffic\n\nTorres- Martinez Desert Tribe (Thermal, CA) \u2013 Workforce Development, Job-Training Program, and Apprenticeship Program\n\nThe Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indian Tribe to assist in the completion of the Torres-Martinez Manufacturing and Fabrication Career Development and Job-Training Facility for the implementation of the Torres-Martinez Native American Workforce Development, Job-Training and Apprenticeship Program.\n\nTwenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians \u2013 Dillon Road Corridor\n\n$2.7 million to reconstruct and widen a principal arterial roadway through Tribal lands in Riverside County.\n\nSunLine Transit (Thousand Palms) \u2013 Public Fueling Station\n\n$2.5 million to upgrade its 350-bar hydrogen public station to include a 700-bar fueling capability for light (personal vehicles) and heavy-duty (truck) vehicles effectively helping to transition the station to dispense hydrogen.\n\nThe portions of Dr. Ruiz\u2019s legislation, the Salton Sea Projects Improvements Act, that are included in the omnibus are as follows:\n\nThe Bureau of Reclamation may enter into grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to carry out projects at the Salton Sea to improve air quality from lakebed dust, fish and wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities, and water quality.\n\nThe Bureau of Reclamation may partner with the State of California, Tribal and local governments, water districts, the Salton Sea Authority, non-profit organizations, and institutions of higher education to implement these projects.\n\nMore information on Dr. Ruiz\u2019s legislation to rename the La Quinta and Palm Springs Post Offices can be found here. More information on Dr. Ruiz\u2019s Physician Wellness Program Act can be found here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://ruiz.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/government-funding-package-presidents-desk-nearly-21m-investment"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4575128443539143, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}