Measuring success when it comes to political action, particularly in the current climate, can be challenging. Just as the American College of Surgeons (ACS) strives to represent all of surgery and focuses on an extensive list of priorities, the American College of Surgeons Professional Association Political Action Committee (ACSPA-SurgeonsPAC) works to maintain relationships with numerous lawmakers to ensure the College’s advocacy and health policy agenda remains at the forefront.
Leading up to the November midterm elections, every surgeon should be familiar with some basic facts about ACSPA-SurgeonsPAC fundraising and disbursement efforts.
Fundraising and disbursements
Fundraising is on par with the 2016 election cycle, a record year for “hard” dollars, or personal funds used to support candidates. SurgeonsPAC supports both Democrat and Republican candidates running in U.S. House and Senate races across the nation. SurgeonsPAC has a track record of balanced giving, contributing to candidates and incumbents of both parties who are willing to champion issues of importance to surgeons and surgical patients. All 2017‒2018 election cycle disbursements can be viewed on the SurgeonsPAC website. Legally, SurgeonsPAC cannot earmark contributions for a particular candidate or based on a single issue.
From January 1, 2017, through May 31, 2018, the ACSPA-SurgeonsPAC reported more than $805,000 in receipts from more than 1,500 College members and staff, and disbursed more than $558,900 to more than 115 congressional candidates, leadership PACs, and political campaign committees. Of the amount given, in line with congressional party ratios, 59 percent was given to Republicans and 41 percent to Democrats.
In addition to raising funds to elect and reelect congressional candidates, SurgeonsPAC hosted several health care industry events in the ACS Washington Office for key members of Congress and political campaign committees, collaborated with other medical community PACs to host fundraising events and physician candidate meet and greets, participated in party committee briefings and additional engagement opportunities, and increased in-district check deliveries and targeted donor events.
To learn more about SurgeonsPAC fundraising or disbursements, visit SurgeonsPAC.org (login required using your facs.org username and password) or contact Katie Oehmen, Manager, ACSPA-SurgeonsPAC and Grassroots at 202-672-1503 or koehmen@facs.org. For more information about the College’s legislative priorities, visit SurgeonsVoice.org.
Note
Contributions to ACSPA-SurgeonsPAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. Contributions are voluntary, and all members of ACSPA have the right to refuse to contribute without reprisal. Federal law prohibits ACSPA-SurgeonsPAC from accepting contributions from foreign nations. By law, if your contributions are made using a personal check or credit card, ACSPA-SurgeonsPAC may only use your contribution to support candidates in federal elections. All corporate contributions to ACSPA-SurgeonsPAC will be used for educational and administrative fees of ACSPA and other activities permissible under federal law. Federal law requires ACSPA-SurgeonsPAC to use its best efforts to collect and report the name, mailing address, occupation, and the name of the employer of individuals whose contributions exceed $200 in a calendar year. ACSPA-SurgeonsPAC is a program of the ACSPA, which is exempt from federal income tax under section 501c (6) of the Internal Revenue Code.
