House Passes Ruiz’s Spending Integrity Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative Raul Ruiz, M.D., CA-36, is not impressed with President Trump’s spending taxpayer dollars jetting to Mar-a-Lago. You need only look at his Public Service Spending Integrity Act to see that.

Ruiz announced March 8 that his legislation, H.R. 1626, the Public Service Spending Integrity Act, passed the House of Representatives with strong bipartisan support as part of H.R. 1, the For the People Act.

The bill prohibits taxpayer dollars from being spent on businesses owned by the President, Vice President, Cabinet members, and their immediate family. Four of President Trump’s trips to his Mar-a-Lago resort during his first months in office cost the U.S. government approximately $13.6 million in taxpayer funds, According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

“No President or cabinet members, Republican or Democrat, now or in the future, should spend taxpayer dollars on their own businesses to enrich themselves or their family,” Dr. Ruiz said in a prepared statement.  “Working for the government should be about serving the people, not self-service. I am proud to have secured passage of my bill, the Public Service Spending Integrity Act as a part of H.R. 1, the For the People Act, a bill that keeps our promise to help clean up corruption, protect Americans’ fundamental right to vote, and make government work for the people!”

Aaron Scherb, Director of Legislative Affairs at the non-partisan watchdog Common Cause, said, “When supposed public servants use elected office to line their pockets, citizens lose faith and trust that government works to improve the lives of everyday Americans. Ensuring that the President, Vice President, and cabinet officials are held to the highest ethics standards will help restore Americans’ confidence that government is working for them, and Common Cause thanks Congressman Ruiz for introducing these common sense bills.”

Rep. Raul Ruiz first introduced the Public Service Spending Integrity Act in 2017 with five cosponsors. Rep. Ruiz reintroduced the bill this year and submitted it as an amendment to H.R. 1, the For the People Act (Amendment #37). The amendment passed unanimously on March 7th, securing inclusion of the bill within the larger government reform bill. The House passed H.R. 1 Friday, March 8, with a 234-193 vote.