ACP Services Political Action Committee (PAC) Update

Laura Allendorf, PAC director, and Tracy Novak, ACP Services grassroots associate and PAC administrator, gave an update on the status of the PAC. Ms. Allendorf said that she is very pleased with growth of the PAC from last year to this year. She contrasts last year’s statistics with where the PAC is to date. She said last year they raised a total of approximately $58,000 from about 371 members. To date they have raised approximately $50,000 from January to April for total of approximately $107,000 in the election cycle. She defined the election cycle as 2005-2006. Ms. Allendorf said one of the objectives of the PAC Board and staff is to increase the visibility of the PAC before the membership. She noted that the PAC was established by ACP Services (a c6 organization) because the IRS rules restrict the involvement of c3 organizations like ACP in political activities. Because of this distinction, the PAC cannot use the traditional ACP venues, such as ACPOnline or the ACP Observer to solicit members. She said that the ACP PAC does have its own website for those who want more information on the PAC. She named some of the states that have thus far been active in raising money for the PAC. Those states are (in order of most money raised) Florida, Texas, California, Connecticut, Maryland, New York, and Alaska. She said that being an election year has helped to raise the visibility of the PAC. In addition, Ms Allendorf said that physicians have raised their visibility with members of Congress by attending PAC events in their districts. She reviewed some of the guidelines that chapters need to follow before discussing and soliciting PAC participation at chapter meetings. She said that chapters at the ACP (c3) chapter meetings need to adjourn and hold an ACP Services (c6) meeting before discussions, education, and/or solicitations can take place at the meetings. She noted that students cannot be solicited.

For more information on the ACP Service PAC go to: www.acpservices.org.