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ADVOCACY
TEXPAC focuses on
pro-medicine candidates
With the Texas Legislature in full swing, organized medicine is ber of TEXPAC.
working hard to forge government changes that will help physicians TEXPAC is a voluntary, nonpartisan political arm of TMA, but
and their patients.
it is a separate entity that must follow strict rules governing political
The Texas Medical Association Political Action Committee action committees. TEXPAC works to advance TMA’s mission of
(TEXPAC) is a bipartisan political action committee of the Texas improving the health of all Texans and enables TMA members to
Medical Association (TMA) and is affiliated with the American protect Texas patients through political education and activism.
Medical Association Political Action Committee (AMPAC) for
congressional contribution purposes only. Its goal is to support and TEXPAC operates under the motto, “United in protecting our
elect pro-medicine candidates on the federal and state levels. patients.” TEXPAC’s 7,000 members advocate on behalf of TMA’s
48,000-and-counting Texas physicians and medical student mem-
TEXPAC and TMA work hand in hand to achieve medicine’s bers, and nearly 8,000 TMA Alliance members. TEXPAC is one
goals at the local, state, and federal level. Each has an important of the largest nonpartisan PACs in the state and ranks first in size
role. among other state medical association PACs.
In the government relations arena, TMA focuses on policy. TEX- TEXPAC is dues-funded. Where does the money go?
PAC is all about electing the right candidates, and educating can- On the campaign trail, it goes to: direct contributions to a TEX-
didates and elected officials about Texas medicine so they can make PAC-endorsed candidate’s campaign; in-kind support to candidates
informed decisions. In addition, TEXPAC makes monetary con- through mailers, push cards and other promotional items; polling
tributions to election campaigns, whereas TMA does not. That is to help better understand the dynamics of key races; and assistance
why TMA membership does not automatically make you a mem-
30 San Antonio Medicine • April 2015
