he ASA Political Action Committee (ASAPAC) continues to serve as ASA’s bipartisan, nonideological political voice to advocate for political issues on behalf of all anesthesiologists. The PAC raised $1,023,762.49 from 4,619 donors, which represents an increase from last year of $125,855 and an increase of 612 donors.

Please review the accompanying table on page 21 for state-specific information regarding ASAPAC 2007.

The Alabama State Society of Anesthesiologists raised $105,991 (approximately 10 percent of the total amount raised by ASAPAC) with 60.7 percent participation. The state’s society members exceeded the $81,000 they raised last year. The Alabama society has 428 members. The average contribution was more than $400, and they had 100 percent resident participation.

The ASAPAC Executive Board continues to encourage political grassroots activism. Since the beginning of the 2007-08 election cycle, ASAPAC donors have participated in 70 local, in-state, in-congressional district fundraisers. We strongly encourage you, members of the anesthesiology community, to participate in these events. If interested, contact any member of the ASAPAC Executive Board, Manuel Bonilla in the Washington Office, or me to let us know about important local fundraisers. Our goal is to participate in more than 200 events this election cycle, 2007-08. Local political activity is a critical component of effective advocacy for our specialty. Remember, public policy advocacy is a contact sport.

ASA collects data regarding anesthesiology residents’ contributions to ASAPAC. The Alabama and Connecticut programs reported 100 percent participation among their residents. The Arizona program had 97 percent participation, and the Oklahoma program had 92 percent participation. The state of Florida, which has multiple programs, had a 37 percent resident participation rate. Overall within ASA, resident participation was 14.5 percent.

2008 Members of the ASAPAC Executive Board Chair James L. Becker, M.D. Waukee, Iowa Secretary Charles D. Gregorius, M.D. Lincoln, Nebraska Board Members Carolyn F. Bannister, M.D. Stone Mountain, Georgia John F. Dombrowski, M.D. Washington, D.C. Steven D. Goldfien, M.D. San Francisco, California Steven J. Hattamer, M.D. Nashua, New Hampshire Scott E. Kercheville, M.D. San Antonio, Texas Robert E. Kettler, M.D. Milwaukee, Wisconsin Jeffrey S. Plagenhoef, M.D. Dothan, Alabama Richard J. Pollard, M.D. Charlotte, North Carolina Paloma Toledo, M.D. Chicago, Illinois

I also would like to highlight three of the numerous political races with which ASAPAC is involved. In the House of Representatives, the PAC is supporting ASA member and congressional candidate Andrew P. Harris, M.D. Dr. Harris, a practicing anesthesiologist at John Hopkins and a prominent Maryland state senator, is currently running against an incumbent member of Congress in the Republican primary. Dr. Harris has earned the support of much of the Republican establishment in Maryland. If elected, he would be the first anesthesiologist elected to Congress. Two other races of interest are the Lt. Governor’s race in Missouri and the Louisiana gubernatorial race. Sam L. Page, M.D., an ASA member and Democratic member of the Missouri House of Representatives, is working hard to become Missouri’s next Lt. Governor. As a state lawmaker, he has played a role in many health care debates in the state.

U.S. Congressman Bobby Jindal is governor-elect for the state of Louisiana. He was the first victory of the 2007-08 election cycle for ASAPAC.

Rep. Jindal has been a very supportive member of Congress and has a strong working relationship with the Louisiana Society of Anesthesiologists.

A sincere thank you to Patricia J. Davidson, M.D., from Ohio, who is rotating off the ASAPAC Board after six years of service. She has done an outstanding job in promoting political advocacy, especially as a key contact to a number of federal lawmakers in Ohio. Benjamin D. Unger, M.D., from New York, completed his one-year term as Resident Representative to ASAPAC. He has worked extraordinarily hard to build support for ASAPAC within the resident ranks. Thank you, Dr. Davidson and Dr. Unger! The ASAPAC Board welcomes Carolyn J. Bannister, M.D., from Georgia, as a new member and Paloma Toledo, M.D., from Illinois, as the resident representative.

A final list of candidates supported by ASAPAC, along with ASAPAC data and all donors, will be published soon as part of the 2007 ASAPAC Report to Donors. Expect to receive a copy by mail in late December.

ASAPAC is a separate segregated fund, or SSF, of ASA and a part of the Society’s governmental affairs political and legislative advocacy efforts. ASA’s current legislative efforts include:

• Advocating for the passage of H.R. 2053 and S. 2056, the Medicare Anesthesiology Teaching Funding Restoration Act of 2007;

• Lobbying against the proposed 10-percent Medicare cuts for 2008;

• Lobbying for passage of the Medicare rural pass-through, and;

• Continued dialogue on pay for performance.

The January 2008 ASA NEWSLETTER will contain an ASAPAC article by Dr. Toledo, ASAPAC Board Resident Representative.

James L. Becker, M.D., is a partner in Associated Anesthesiologists, PC. He practices at Iowa Methodist Medical Center, Des Moines Orthopedic Surgery Center, Lakeview Surgery Center, Des Moines, Iowa.