Why PAC is Important to Nursing Leaders
- Membership in the PAC provides AONE members an opportunity to be heard as part of the health care community on Capitol Hill. This is especially important as we deal with issues of nursing in healthcare reform, access to care, faculty shortages, patient safety, the patient care environment, and pay for performance.
- Nursing was funded at $156 million for Fiscal Year 2008. This was an increase of only $6 million after three years of flat lined funding. Because of the Continuing Resolution which has provided temporary funding for the government, the final amount for FY 2009 has not been determined.
- Through the lobbying efforts of AONE in conjunction with the Nursing Community, Title VIII programs will receive an extra $100 million in FY 2009 and 2010 as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (H.R.1)
- PAC Advocacy stopped efforts hat proposed elimination all Advanced Nursing Education Programs. This loss would have left nursing without funding for programs that support critical nursing school faculty.
- We are asking Congress for $210 million for FY 2010 to begin to put Title VIII programs on a positive funding trajectory.
- As one of three major nursing PAC’s ,the AONE/AHA PAC supports coalition efforts to work collaboratively with the greater nursing community and other partners to address issues critical to health care, health reform, advancement of the nursing profession and to support research to quantify the economic value of nursing.
- PAC contributions allow AONE to continue its work to support legislative efforts on healthful work environments, nursing education, faculty shortages, patient safety, and innovative pilot projects that support the value of the nursing profession to promote health, quality, and access to care.
- Contributions to the PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.
- Please help us to achieve our PAC Goal of $40,000 for 2009.
- Membership options in the PAC are the following:
Individual membership: $75 – includes one ticket to PAC Reception
Friends Membership (requires two persons): 2 for $140 includes two tickets to the PAC Reception
Capitol Club Membership: $350
Chairman’s Circle Membership: $500
The Benjamin Franklin Club: $1,000
- The Ben Franklin, Chairman’s Circle, and Capitol Club members are invited to join AONE leaders for an exclusive private reception with Robin Wright, award winning journalist and Middle East expert at the AONE PAC Event. She will be speaking Friday, April 17, 2009 Chairman’s Circle and Capitol Club members are also invited to the AHA Annual Membership Luncheon to be held in Washington, DC in April.
- Members of the PAC are recognized throughout the year in the AONE/AHAPAC Report and at state hospital association meetings. The contributors are also listed on the website.
For more information about AONE/AHA PAC, please contact Jo Ann Webb, AONE Director of Federal Relations and Policy, at jwebb@aha.org.
