American Veterinary Medical Association Political Action Committee (AVMA PAC)

ABOUT THE AVMA PAC
The AVMA PAC makes the collective voice of AVMA members heard in Washington by opening doors and starting conversations. Contributions to the PAC allow us to build relationships that ensure veterinarians’ voices are heard on legislation that impacts the lives of AVMA members and our patients. On issues from student debt to small business, the PAC strengthens the AVMA’s ability to shape the public policy decisions that affect veterinarians’ business and lives.
Contributing to the AVMA PAC is a commitment to ourselves, our profession, and the animals we care for. When AVMA members contribute to the PAC, you strengthen our ability to educate legislators about our profession.
The AVMA PAC is strictly non-partisan and supports candidates on both sides of the aisle to promote issues that matter to all veterinarians. Regulated by the Federal Elections Commission, the AVMA PAC is a transparent and legal way for AVMA members to participate in the political process and ensure that veterinary medicine speaks with a strong, unified voice.

What is AVMA PAC?
AVMA PAC is the AVMA’s Political Action Committee. It provides strategic financial contributions to the campaigns of members of Congress so the AVMA has more opportunities to educate lawmakers on issues impacting veterinary medicine. AVMA PAC receives individual contributions and combines them to make contributions to the campaigns of lawmakers.

The PAC supports legislation that will have a direct impact on veterinarians and how we do our jobs – from student debt to small business. Recent examples in which the PAC has facilitated discussions with members of Congress include student loans, animal health priorities in the Farm Bill, the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program Enhancement Act, animal drug user fees, tax reform, association health plans, federal funding levels for veterinary priorities, and prescription-writing mandates.
Why is AVMA PAC important?
Every day, Congress makes decisions that impact veterinarians. AVMA PAC contributions help the AVMA develop relationships with members of Congress so we can discuss the issues that are important to the profession. A strong PAC promotes our success on Capitol Hill and increases the likelihood of Congress passing legislation benefiting veterinary medicine, or defeating legislation that is harmful to our profession.

How is AVMA PAC governed?
The PAC is overseen by a seven-member AVMA PAC Board, composed of volunteers appointed by the AVMA Board of Directors, House Advisory Committee and the Student AVMA. The AVMA PAC Board provides oversight of the PAC’s contributions and activities.

Which elected officials receive AVMA PAC’s support?

AVMA PAC is non-partisan and contributes almost exclusively to members of Congress who are already in office. Contributions are often made to members of Congress who hold committee positions overseeing legislation that impacts the veterinary profession or have a strong record of supporting veterinary medicine.

What issues does AVMA PAC support?
The PAC supports legislation that will have a direct impact on veterinarians and how we do our jobs – from student debt to small business. Recent examples in which the PAC has facilitated discussions with members of Congress include student loans, animal health priorities in the Farm Bill, the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program Enhancement Act, animal drug user fees, tax reform, association health plans, federal funding levels for veterinary priorities, and prescription-writing mandates.
Who can contribute to AVMA PAC?
Federal Election Commission regulations state that only AVMA members and their families, SAVMA members and their families, and AVMA employees can contribute to the AVMA PAC. Any corporate contributions made to AVMA PAC cannot be used to contribute to congressional candidates.

CRITERIA FOR CHOOSING CANDIDATES TO RECEIVE PAC FUNDING
The AVMA PAC Board, made up wholly of AVMA and SAVMA members, oversees the fundraising strategy and disbursement of PAC funds. The AVMA’s Government Relations Division works closely with the PAC Board to identify members of Congress to support based on the criteria below.
In making recommendations and decisions on which candidates to fund, we are guided by the following questions:
• Is the candidate or his/her family member a veterinarian?
• Is the candidate pro-science and pro-veterinary medicine?
• Does the candidate represent a district/state with veterinary schools?
• Does the candidate represent a district/state with a significant number of AVMA members, and does the candidate have a strong relationship with AVMA members?
• Is the candidate an incumbent who sits on key Congressional committees that consider legislation important to AVMA and supports AVMA positions?
The AVMA PAC also adheres to these additional guidelines:
• AVMA PAC will not generally contribute to a Leadership PAC. In special circumstances, Leadership PACs will be considered.
• AVMA PAC will not generally contribute to the retirement of campaign debt. In special circumstances, debt retirement will be considered.
• AVMA PAC will comply with the letter and spirit of all federal and state laws.
• AVMA PAC will ensure that no contributions are made in a manner that suggests or implies that the contributions are in return for any legislative act.

What candidates has the PAC supported?

The AVMA Political Action Committee (AVMA PAC) is a bipartisan political action committee that was established in 1978. The PAC provides strategic financial contributions to the campaigns of members of Congress so that AVMA has more opportunities to educate lawmakers on issues affecting veterinary medicine. There is a prioritization system to enable the AVMA Federal Legislative Team and the AVMA PAC Board to effectively determine the importance of an incumbent/candidate to the veterinary profession. The criteria below are used by AVMA PAC in evaluating distributions:
• Is the incumbent/candidate or his/her family member a veterinarian?
• Is the incumbent/candidate a pro-science and pro-veterinary medicine legislator?
• Does the incumbent/candidate represent a district/state with veterinary schools?
• Does the incumbent/candidate represent a district/state with a significant number of AVMA Members, and does the incumbent/candidate have a strong relationship with AVMA Members?
• Is the incumbent/candidate on key Congressional committees which consider legislation of importance to AVMA and are supportive of AVMA positions?

EXPLORE OUR ISSUES
AVMA PAC contributions help the AVMA Government Relations Division staff have greater access to the policymakers who are making decisions about how you run your small business and practice veterinary medicine. A strong PAC promotes our success on Capitol Hill and increases the likelihood of Congress passing legislation benefitting veterinary medicine, or defeating legislation that is harmful to the profession.
AVMA PAC is non-partisan and supports lawmakers who champion policies that are good for veterinary medicine. Working with all political parties, we focus on issues that directly affect veterinarians, veterinary students, and the animals we care for. Issues like compounding, student debt and loan repayment, animal welfare, and prescription-writing mandates.
When choosing candidates to support, we look for lawmakers who support pro-science and pro-veterinary policies, and have personal ties to our profession. We also look for those who chair or sit on key congressional committees that consider legislation that affects our profession.
The issues that matter to the AVMA PAC are the issues that matter to veterinarians. Here are some of the key areas in which the AVMA and AVMA PAC are active on Capitol Hill:
• Appropriations/Federal Funding
• Animal Health and Welfare
• Conservation and the Environment
• Food Safety
• Pharmaceutical Issues
• Research
• Small Business
• Veterinary Education and Professional Issues

The PAC has facilitated discussions with members of Congress on topics running the gamut from student loans to tax reform, and from health insurance to the Farm Bill. To see the legislation that’s currently at the top of our priority list, visit the AVMA Congressional Advocacy Network and the AVMA’s legislative agenda.

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