Newswise — WASHINGTON, DC (June 13, 2017) – Congressman Ami Bera, MD (D-CA) was given the Legislator of the Year Award by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Monday evening in recognition of his strong legislative record on issues that help cardiothoracic surgeons provide the best possible care to their patients.

“This prestigious award reinforces the value of Rep. Bera’s work on behalf of patients and the medical community,” said Alan M. Speir, MD, Chair of the STS Council on Health Policy and Relationships. “There is no more relevant subject to tackle today than health care, and Rep. Bera, time and again, has demonstrated a commitment to finding bipartisan solutions to the problems impacting physicians and their patients. His leadership is invaluable to the health care community, and we thank him for his hard work.”

Rep. Bera is one of two Democratic physicians in the US House of Representatives. He has consistently reached across the aisle to work with the GOP Doctors Caucus in advancing policies supported by and important to cardiothoracic surgeons. One example of his dedication to putting patients first was his collaboration with Rep. Larry Bucshon, MD (R-IN), a cardiothoracic surgeon, to preserve global surgical payments under Medicare.

“I ran for office for the same reason I became a doctor–to do good and make sure that if you work hard, you can get ahead,” said Rep. Bera. “It takes all of us working together to advance the science of health care, our ability to continue lifesaving research, and access to high quality health care for all Americans. While I’m honored to receive this award, I want to thank the surgeons, researchers, and frontline health care workers whose dedication saves lives every day.”

Rep. Bera is one of four Indian Americans currently serving in the US House of Representatives and represents California’s 7th Congressional District, covering suburban Sacramento County. He is the Vice Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and serves as the Ranking Member for the Space subcommittee on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

The STS Legislator of the Year Award acknowledges a person who has made sustained and/or extraordinary efforts in promoting issues of importance to cardiothoracic surgeons through legislation, successful defense of funding, or other legislation related to cardiothoracic surgery that supports STS’s mission and membership.

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For more information, contact Jennifer Bagley at 312-202-5865 or [email protected].

Founded in 1964, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons is a not-for-profit organization representing more than 7,300 cardiothoracic surgeons, researchers, and allied health care professionals worldwide who are dedicated to ensuring the best possible outcomes for surgeries of the heart, lung, and esophagus, as well as other surgical procedures within the chest. The Society’s mission is to enhance the ability of cardiothoracic surgeons to provide the highest quality patient care through education, research, and advocacy.