The AUA Political Action Committee (AUAPAC) plays an integral part in advancing the interests of urologists, urology practices, and patients with urological conditions. AUAPAC was established in 2019 as a complement to the increasingly impactful political, legislative, and regulatory advocacy spearheaded by the AUA on behalf of its members. AUAPAC was formed as a membership PAC, meaning that only domestic AUA members are eligible to contribute. The contributed dollars are then distributed to the members of Congress and political leaders who champion the legislative causes that benefit the practice of urology. AUAPAC thus enhances the AUA’s traditional advocacy efforts, such as the Annual Urology Advocacy Summit, in-person meetings with legislators, and partnerships with patient advocacy groups, by fostering relationships with the legislators most able to advance AUA causes.

AUAPAC operates as a nonpartisan PAC, which means that AUAPAC is not strictly affiliated with any one political party. Instead, how AUAPAC dollars are dispersed is guided by a board of directors, consisting of urologists and other urology leaders, which follows specific principles and criteria to determine the recipients of political contributions and to maximize the impact of AUAPAC dollars. Over the past 5 years AUAPAC has contributed to similar numbers of Republican and Democratic members of Congress, putting the priorities of urologists above any single political affiliation. By giving to legislators and engaging lawmakers, AUAPAC empowers the voices of AUA members and their patients in Congress and regulatory agencies.

AUAPAC strives to represent the interests and priorities of all urologists, no matter their geography, practice settings, patient population, or specialization. The needs of rural and underserved urology practices and patients are one of AUAPAC’s recent areas of focus. The AUA recognizes the unique challenges faced by these communities and has increased advocacy efforts to address these needs, in conjunction with enhanced legislative activity in recent sessions of Congress.

One way AUAPAC supports diverse practices is by strengthening telehealth. In rural and underserved areas, access to specialized urological care may be limited by distance and timeliness of care. AUAPAC advocates for policies like the federal CONNECT for Health Act that expand and sustain telehealth services, allowing patients in rural regions to consult with urologists virtually and maintain long-term care that is essential to disease surveillance and prevention. These policies include important provisions ensuring payment parity for video-based and audio-only telehealth services, enhanced broadband infrastructure in rural areas, and loosening of burdensome regulatory requirements that dictate where patients must be physically located to qualify for telehealth.

AUAPAC is committed to strengthening the rural urology workforce. The AUA has long advocated for policy initiatives to attract and retain urologists in underserved areas. AUAPAC supports this advocacy by contributing to legislators who champion policies that enable rural urology care. For instance, the AUA was a driving force behind the Specialty Physicians Advancing Rural Care Act, which would establish student loan repayment programs to support the provision of specialty medical care, including urology, in rural areas. For each year of service up to 6 total years, urologists could receive up to $250,000 repayment of educational loan debt, easing the ability of young urologists wishing to establish practices in these areas to overcome what might otherwise be burdensome start-up costs.

Finally, AUAPAC supports policymakers who want to expand rural access to groundbreaking clinical trials. Urology patients should have equal opportunities to participate in clinical trials regardless of where they live. AUAPAC advocates for policies that promote clinical trial enrollment in underserved regions, ensuring that rural patients benefit from cutting-edge research and treatments. For instance, AUAPAC supports the DIVERSE Trials Act, which aims to enhance meaningful demographic and geographic diversity in clinical trial enrollment. The law would foster inclusivity in clinical research and enhance data collection to ensure that trial results are maximally generalizable and representative of the patients affected by these conditions.

All domestic AUA members may contribute to AUAPAC’s mission by making a financial contribution at myauapac.org. These dollars directly support the AUA’s advocacy efforts and advance our interests in Congress. Any dollar amount is encouraged, but we hope you will consider giving at the Platinum, Gold, or Silver leadership levels, which come with member-only benefits and opportunities. Membership levels are adjusted for urology trainees to enhance their giving. In addition, AUA members can stay informed about and engaged in AUAPAC activities and AUA advocacy efforts. Attending the Annual Urology Advocacy Summit is one of the best ways of seeing AUAPAC in action. Finally, we encourage all urologists to use their voice to advocate for urology year-round. AUAPAC is a powerful partner in our collective advocacy, and by supporting AUAPAC, we can strengthen the practice and future of urology.

AUAPAC is a “separate segregated” fund established by the American Urological Association, Inc. Contributions to AUAPAC, which is a multicandidate committee, are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. Further, contributions by one person in the name of another person are prohibited. PAC contributions are also not reimbursable by an employer or any other entity. The FEC (Federal Election Commission) requires that certain information on each donor (who contributes $200 or more per year) such as the donor’s name, address, occupation, and employer’s name be collected and reported to the Commission. By contributing to AUAPAC you affirm that you: are a US citizen or an individual lawfully admitted with permanent resident status; that your contribution is made from your own personal funds and not from corporate, foreign national, or labor union funds; that you will not receive reimbursement by anyone for this contribution, and that your contributions to AUAPAC will not aggregate in excess of $5000 per calendar year. Contributions are voluntary and you have a right to refuse to contribute without reprisal.