TEXPAC: The United Voice for Medicine

In 2008, Texans will head to the polls to elect state and federal candidates who wield tremendous power over the fate of medicine and your practice. TEXPAC will be there, front and center, advocating on behalf of Texas patients and their physicians, helping to elect proven friends of the Texas Medical Association, interviewing the unknown candidates, and helping voters decipher the political jargon tossed around during campaign season as it relates to medicine.

With the mission of promoting health-care-friendly public policy, the Texas Medical Association Political Action Committee is one of the largest and most influential state medical associations PACs in the country. Its success depends upon your financial support and personal involvement.

Serving as the political arm of TMA's nearly 42,000 physician, resident and medical student members, and nearly 8,000 alliance members, TEXPAC has scored impressive legislative victories and set the bar for other state medical PACs. Our involvement in legislative issues such as tort reform, prompt pay, and health insurance reform produced positive changes for Texas medicine.

Our members play a vital role in establishing and maintaining relationships with officeholders who will vote in the best interests of our patients. TEXPAC members can expect to receive updates on grassroots activities and legislative functions, invitations to key candidate fundraisers and recognition at all TMA meetings.

Remember, the actions you take to involve yourself in politics will translate directly into the actions our lawmakers take in Austin and Washington, DC.

Best Regards,
Manuel Acosta, MD
Chair, TEXPAC Board of Directors
TEXPACBoard.Chair@texmed.org

Congratulations Maureen! TEXPAC's Newest June Bratcher Award Winner

TEXPAC is proud to recognize Maureen Priestner of Abilene as the recipient of the 2006 June Bratcher Award for Political Participation. Ms. Priestner created the energy behind a campaign for the Texas House in Abilene and helped put her fellow Alliance member Susan King in office.

Maureen was by Ms. King's side from her initial announcement until the results of the election were posted. She was the ideal campaign volunteer; willing to answer the phones, walk block after block, call through the Abilene phone book, open her home to coffees and campaign events, and raised a substantial amount of money. She helped mobilize the physician and alliance community and encouraged her friends in medicine to get involved and stay involved in Susan King's campaign.

Ms. Priestner's energy was contagious, and her efforts were quickly recognized through word of mouth in Austin. Her fellow TMA Alliance members were so impressed with Maureen's commitment and organization that she was the first recipient of the TMA Alliance's Mary Ann Homer Legislative Award before the King campaign even ended.

March 5, 2008

Texas Medical Association Political Action Committee (TEXPAC), 401 W. 15th St., Austin, TX 78701, 512 370-1300, www.texpac.org. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.