Although we are clearly focused on the number of dollars raised, the money is just a measure of the membership’s interest in and support of our collective policy needs and goals. The RheumPAC Committee expends great effort in determining which members of Congress will be granted financial support. We are absolutely nonpartisan in our decision making and donate only to those who have supported the goals of the ACR in the past or are in a position to do so in the current Congress. This allows RheumPAC investors to feel secure that our professional policy issues are being supported and advocated. Although contributions may go to individuals with whom a member disagrees on a certain issue, this process is about developing relationships and facilitating our ability to influence the agendas in Washington on behalf of our patients and ourselves. No contribution is made without the robust thought, explanation and discussion of our committed RheumPAC members and ACR advocacy staff.
I assume that everyone else is as tired as I am of the nonstop campaign rhetoric and cannot wait for November so we may have a brief respite from the din of demagoguery. Unfortunately, that does not mean we can be absent from the process and, in fact, emphasizes the need for more of our membership to be involved.
The committee has established goals that, at first blush, may seem unattainable, but I believe they are absolutely possible. We want our percentage of contributors to increase from under 4% of membership to 10% of membership in coming years. Although the amount of each donation is important (and more is obviously better), we are focused on encouraging any level of engagement in RheumPAC by more of our membership.
We plan to create more local opportunities for our members to meet their members of Congress and personally present our donations. This is an underestimated, but exceptional opportunity for each of us to educate, inform and assist our elected officials in understanding the effects of their decisions on our lives, our businesses and the lives of our patients—their constituents.
On behalf of the RheumPAC Committee and the ACR, we thank you for your past support and look forward to working with you to make 2016 our best year yet.
Sincerely,
Harry L. Gewanter, MD, FAAP, FACR
2016-2018 Chair, RheumPAC
Leadership Circle Contributors ($2,000–5,000)
Herbert Baraf, MD, Wheaton, Md.
David Borenstein, MD, Washington, D.C.
Nilsa Cruz, BS, Milwaukee, Wis.
Paul DeMarco, MD, Wheaton, Md.
Max Hamburger, MD, Smithtown, N.Y.
William Harvey, MD, Brookline, Mass.
Edward Herzig, MD, Cincinnati
Joseph Huffstutter, MD, Signal Mountain, Tenn.
James Jenkins, PhD, MPH, Los Angeles
Steven Kimmel, MD, Tamarac, Fla.
Steven Klein, MD, Hagerstown, Md.
Karen Kolba, MD, Pismo Beach, Calif.
Timothy Laing, MD, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Sharad Lakhanpal, MD, Dallas
Jeffrey Lawson, MD, Greenville, S.C.
Gwen Melton, MD, Fayetteville, N.C.
Rodolfo Molina, MD, San Antonio
Meera Oza, MD, Orange Park, Fla.
William Palmer, MD, Omaha, Neb.
Deborah Power, DO, Tucson, Ariz.
Ellison Smith, MD, Asheville, N.C.
William St.Clair, MD, Durham, N.C.
Ananda Walaliyadda, MD, Pocatello, Idaho
Grace Wright, MD, New York
RheumPAC-Supported Candidates
U.S. House of Representatives
Rep. Ami Bera, MD (D-CA-7)—$4,000
Rep. Diane Black, RN (R-TN-6)—$3,000
Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-7)—$2,000
Rep. John Boehner (R-OH-8)—$2,500
Rep. Charles Boustany Jr., MD (R-LA-3)—$1,000
Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX-8)—$3,000
Rep. Michael Burgess, MD (R-TX-26)—$5,000
Rep. Henry Cueller (D-TX-28)—$1,000
Rep. Diana Degette (D-CO-1)—$2,500
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-3)—$2,000
Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI-12)—$2,000
Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC-2)—$4,000
Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA-18)—$3,000
Rep. John Fleming, MD (R-LA-4)—$1,000
Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY-2)—$2,500
Rep. Andy Harris, MD (R-MD-1)—$2,000
Rep. Joe Heck, DO (R-NV-3)—$1,500
Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD-5)—$1,500
Rep. Joe Kennedy (D-MA-4)—$2,000
Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI-3)—$3,000
Raja Krishnamoorthi, Candidate for Congress (D-IL-8)—$1,000
Rep. Sander Levin (D-MI-9)—$2,000
Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY-17)—$3,000
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA-23)—$1,500
Rep. Jim McDermott, MD (D-WA-7)—$3,000
Rep. David McKinley (R-WV-1)—$5,000
Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ-6)—$4,000
Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-MN-3)—$1,000
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-12)—$2,500
Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA-16)—$1,000
Rep. Tom Price, MD (R-GA-6)—$5,000
Rep. Harold Rogers (R-KY-5)—$1,500
Rep. Raul Ruiz, MD (D-CA-36)—$2,000
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI-1)—$3,000
Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA-1)—$1,500
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-9)—$1,500
Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX-32)—$2,500
Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI-6)—$4,000
Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD-8)—$2,000
