Become your own Advocate!
This week I have joined the ranks of citizen activists and have lobbied on behalf of veterinarians across the country. Though I have done this at the state level, this experience was so different and magnified that they cannot even compare.
I was actually surprised at the ease of setting up meetings with the individuals that represent our congressmen and women. Each Senator or Representative has a team of Legislative Assistants (LA) that are assigned certain issue categories. They also meet with constituents and relay their messages back to their bosses. The meetings I had this week were mainly with Legislative Assistants.
For the most part, I was able to see that the LAs were genuinely interested in what I had to say. Though these meetings cannot guarantee that something may actually occur, I definitely felt that my thoughts were reaching our congressperson’s ears. In general, it was a pleasant experience and I really enjoyed speaking with the various LAs.
The main issues I have been concentrating on are the Veterinary Services Investment Act (VSIA) and the Prevention of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (PAMTA). VSIA is basically an act that will support our profession by expanding programs at veterinary schools, encouraging veterinarians to enter food supply and public health medicine, and even helping veterinary businesses with the purchase of equipment. I truly believe that the VSIA could help our profession so I encourage all of you to send your support to your Representatives and Senators. I also believe that PAMTA is poorly written and could be detrimental to agriculture and animal welfare. The AVMA opposes this legislation and you can send your opposition as well.
Senator Claire McCaskill from Missouri hosts a “Constituent Coffee” about once a month for citizens to come and meet with her. There was one this week so I went and was able to meet the Senator. She spoke to all of the constituents on the state of government, healthcare, and her life in politics. Her style of speaking is very straightforward and direct. You could tell that she was a very strong individual. We didn’t get to speak much but I was able to mention the issues that are important to the AVMA right now.
Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer is a freshman Congressman this year from my district. He was able to meet with me and we were able to discuss his current role as a Representative. He had so much insight and a great attitude about serving constituents and the American people. He truly cares about improving the lives of people. He comes form an agricultural background so he also has knowledge about veterinary medicine.
I happened to see Congressman Kurt Schrader at an event. Congressman Schrader is a veterinarian representing Oregon. As we spoke he highlighted the importance of citizens and veterinarians being involved in their government. It was a pleasure speaking with him and I definitely appreciated that he was wearing cowboy boots with his suit.
I also ran into Congressman Ike Skelton from Missouri. Congressman Skelton has been serving as a Representative for over 30 years so he’s a very respected and well known person within the House of Representatives. Luckily I recognized him in the hallway so we were able to speak for a few minutes.
I have had the opportunity to meet with veterinarians that work with the Department of Homeland Security, Food and Drug Administration, US Agency for International Development, and the Library of Congress. It’s truly fascinating seeing the variety of careers that are available. Washington DC is a place of possibilities and the possibilities are endless.
Interested in how you can help get veterinary legislation off the ground? Well get started!
Sincerely,
Kelvin Urday
AVMA-GRD Student Extern
University of Missouri
http://www.externsonthehill.com/