As in years past, ACEP Council members stepped up to the plate during the NEMPAC Council Challenge to ensure that emergency medicine stays at the top of the leaderboard among medical PACs and continues to be a strong, respected voice in Washington, D.C.

Prior to and during the ACEP Council meeting over the weekend, NEMPAC collected more than $300,000 from Council members and ACEP leadership. Combined with thousands of donations this year by ACEP members nationwide, NEMPAC is well on its way to exceeding the $1 million goal set by the ACEP Board of Directors.

ACEP members sent more than 500 messages through Phone-2-Action at the Council meeting and nearly 1,200 at the Opening General Session on Sunday morning. The messages tell Congress that more than 800 ACEP members are coming to Capitol Hill on Wednesday, Nov. 1, to advocate for protections for patients seeking emergency care and federal liability protections for federally mandated care in the emergency department.

NEMPAC serves a vital role in advancing ACEP’s legislative agenda and in broadening ACEP’s visibility with Congress. NEMPAC’s growth has allowed us to be involved in more Congressional races and has expanded our bipartisan influence on Capitol Hill.

With a new President in the White House and a new Congress in on the Hill, the political climate of health care is front-of-mind for all emergency physicians. Now is the perfect time for physicians to demonstrate their commitment to political and grassroots advocacy on behalf of the specialty.

NEMPAC is a critical tool in ACEP’s government affairs strategy to strengthen our influence on many legislative initiatives impacting the practice and delivery of emergency medical care. NEMPAC activities at ACEP17 will recognize the support of our most generous donors and highlight our agenda for the coming term. Because of ACEP member support, NEMPAC has become one of the top medical PACs in the country and is a respected political voice in Washington, D.C.