New Delhi: A doctor by profession, Amit Bera has spent more than 13 years in the US Congress, building a political career around healthcare, economic opportunity, and closer US ties with Asia.
Ami Bera has won re-election to the US House of Representatives from California’s 3rd Congressional District, defeating Republican challenger Robb Tucker.
Bera, 61, was born in Los Angeles to Indian immigrant parents. He studied at the University of California, Irvine, earning a bachelor’s degree in 1987 and a medical degree in 1991. Before entering politics, he worked as a physician, public health official and medical educator, and served as Sacramento County’s chief medical officer.
His campaign for California’s newly drawn 3rd Congressional District focused on healthcare, protecting Medicare and Social Security, women’s reproductive rights, clean energy, jobs and the economy, national security and wildfire prevention. He also promised to work towards protecting Lake Tahoe and improving forest resilience.
Bera’s stance on India-US ties
Bera has also played an active role in strengthening US-India ties. He is a member of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans and has backed closer cooperation between the two countries.
In November 2025, he joined Republican Congressman Joe Wilson in introducing a bipartisan resolution recognising the importance of the US-India partnership. It called for greater cooperation in defence, technology, trade, counterterrorism and education.
Bera also criticised Trump’s decision to impose a $100,000 fee on a new H-1B visa petition, a move that raised concerns among Indian professionals working in the US.
“I don’t agree with the policy because it’s actually going to hurt American companies. These are workers who are filling vital roles and positions,” he said in an interview with The Indian Express in September 2025.
He said the move could also affect families and create uncertainty for skilled workers.
His relationship with the Indian-American community has not always been smooth.
During his 2014 campaign, some members of the Sikh-American community criticised him for not taking a clear position on the Indian government’s alleged role in the 1984 anti-Sikh violence.
The American Sikh Political Action Committee withdrew its support, adding to the challenge in an already close contest.
Iran war, AI regulation and the cost of living
During a televised debate with Tucker in October, Bera took a clear stand against Trump’s war with Iran, questioning the administration’s decision to launch military action without seeking congressional approval.
“This is an illegal war. Article I gives Congress only the ability to declare war, unless there is an imminent threat to the United States,” he said during the debate organised by KCRA 3.
He also criticised the administration for failing to explain its objectives or involve American allies. Bera said he had repeatedly voted to end the war, adding that its economic consequences were being felt by ordinary Americans.
“I’d start with ‘let’s end this war in Iran,’ so gas prices can come down,” he said on federal policy that he would prioritise to bring down the cost of living.
Artificial Intelligence was another issue on which the two candidates differed. Bera called for safeguards to regulate the rapidly developing technology, warning about its impact on jobs and the possibility of AI systems operating independently.
“We see how fast AI is moving. We’ve got to put up guardrails. It is going to improve our lives, but we worry about workforce displacement. We worry about AI thinking on its own,” he said.
Wildfire insurance is a major concern in parts of his constituency. Bera proposed creating a secondary market to help insurers manage the cost of major wildfire losses. He said the savings should be passed on to homeowners through lower premiums.
His campaign website also listed affordable healthcare, housing, education, veterans’ welfare and environmental protection among its priorities. Rather than a single sweeping election promise, he pitched issues affecting families in the Sacramento area.
Political career
Bera’s political career began with a defeat. He lost his first congressional election in 2010 to Republican incumbent Dan Lungren. He challenged Lungren again in 2012 and won, getting 51.7 per cent of the vote.
The next two elections were close. In 2014, he defeated Republican Doug Ose by 1,432 votes in a contest that took more than two weeks to call. In 2016, he narrowly beat Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones. He went on to win re-election in 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024.
Bera is part of the New Democrat Coalition, a group of Democrats that supports economic growth, innovation, and fiscal responsibility. He also serves on the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific; he has a key role in discussions on US policy towards the region.
(Edited by Maryam Hassan)