Advocacy & Policy
Advocacy & Policy
GI’s Voice in the Elections
AGA PAC is dedicated to increasing our members’ presence on Capitol Hill and supporting congressional candidates who protect the needs of GI patients and health care professionals. View election highlights, learn more about our supported physician candidates and view the full list of candidates supported.
AGA PAC’s impact on the 2022 elections
AGA PAC, AGA’s bipartisan political action committee, serves a vital role in advancing AGA’s legislative agenda and increasing gastroenterology’s visibility with Congress. In the 2022 election cycle, AGA members contributed over $140,000 to AGA PAC, which enabled us to support the congressional campaigns of many friends of GI during this election cycle. Check out our election highlights, learn more about our supported physician candidates, and view the full list of candidates supported below.
2022 cycle highlights
- AGA PAC supported 34 congressional candidates across 22 states.
- Total donated: $114,000
- $83,000 donated to 24 House candidates
- $31,000 donated to 10 Senate candidates
- Giving by party: 56% Democrat /44% Republican
- Supported eight physician candidates, all won their races
- All House candidates in the general election won their races
- Contributed 56% to diverse candidates*
*Diverse candidates are defined as women and/or non-white/Caucasian
How does AGA PAC decide who to support?
The AGA PAC Board of Advisors, a bipartisan panel of AGA members, carefully reviews and approves all candidate contributions. They follow established, strategic guidelines to process and prioritize contributions to maximize AGA’s impact. This election cycle, we prioritized support for physician candidates and members serving on key health committees.
AGA PAC supported physican candidates
U.S. Senate
Sen. Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA-2026)
Specialty: Gastroenterology
Sen. Cassidy was the first gastroenterologist elected in Senate history in 2014 after serving in the House of Representatives. He has been AGA’s biggest champion throughout his congressional career, leading the charge to protect patients from surprise medical bills and ensure they have timely access to quality GI care. He currently serves on the Senate Health Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, which has jurisdiction over health care, and is one of the lead sponsors of the Safe Step Act. Sen. Cassidy has also supported AGA in terms of providing access to him and his staff, offering strong support to reform the SGR, assisting small practices to ensure they are able to participate in new shared savings models, and supporting specialty physician-focused payment models under MACRA.
House of Representatives
Rep. Ami Bera, MD (D-CA-07)
Specialty: Internal Medicine
Since being elected to Congress in 2013, Rep. Bera has been a strong voice for physicians in Congress. He is one of the lead sponsors of the Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care, which would streamline the prior authorization process in the Medicare Advantage program. Rep. Bera also co-sponsored other priority legislation, including the Safe Step Act. He introduced a bill to increase the Medicare conversion factor by 4.42% in 2023 and led efforts to prevent Medicare physician payment cuts in 2020 and 2021. He is the vice chair of the New Democrat Coalition, a pro-growth, pro-economic, moderate wing of the Democratic Party and he is known for working in a bipartisan manner to find solutions for health care issues.
Rep. Raul Ruiz, MD (D-CA-36)
Specialty: Emergency Medicine
Rep. Ruiz received AGA’s Outstanding Service Award at DDW 2022 for championing the field of gastroenterology. Rep. Ruiz is a five-term member who sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, including the health subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over health care issues. During his time in office, he has focused on supporting patient access, reducing regulatory burdens for physicians and increasing health insurance coverage in vulnerable communities. Rep. Ruiz introduced one of our top legislative priorities this Congress, the Safe Step Act, which provides common sense guardrails on existing step therapy protocols, including a clear and transparent appeals process.
Rep-elect: Richard McCormick, MD (R-GA-06)
Specialty: Emergency Medicine
Dr. McCormick will serve his first term in the 118th Congress. As a practicing emergency physician, he is familiar with many of the issues that practicing physicians and particularly specialty physicians face. Dr. McCormick also served as a Marine helicopter pilot and is well known in his community and has pledged to work in a bipartisan manner to seek solutions on health care. AGA members and staff have met with Dr. McCormick to discuss our priorities several times during his candidacy and we look forward to working with him in Congress.
Rep. Larry Bucshon, MD (R-IN-08)
Specialty: Cardiothoracic surgery
Rep. Bucshon is serving his 11th term is Congress and is a strong champion for the physician community. He serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Health Subcommittee. Rep. Bucshon has been one of the lead sponsors of the Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act. He has also been a key driver of preventing Medicare physician payment cuts for the past two years and is a leading voice for meaningful payment reform for physicians. Rep. Bucshon is also a moderate member of Congress who works in a bipartisan manner to find legislative solutions. He is a strong supporter of increasing access to colorectal cancer screenings since his father died of colon cancer.
Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, MD (R-IA-01)
Specialty: Ophthalmology
Rep. Miller-Meeks is serving her first term in Congress and is very familiar with and supportive of all of AGA’s policy priorities. She is one of the lead sponsors of the Safe Step Act and is also a strong supporter of the Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act. Since Republicans will take control of the House of Representatives in the 118th Congress, she could be seeking a seat on either the Ways and Means or Energy and Commerce Committee.
Rep. Brad R. Wenstrup, DPM (R-OH-02)
Specialty: Podiatric surgery
Rep. Wenstrup is serving his 5th term in Congress and continues to be a champion of physician issues on the Ways and Means Committee and as Co-Chair of the GOP Doctor’s Caucus.
Rep. Wenstrup is the lead sponsor of the Safe Step Act in the House and is a strong supporter of prior authorization reform. He has also been a key player in trying to enact stable Medicare reimbursement for physicians and addressing some of the payment challenges in the current Quality Payment Program.
Rep. Kim Schrier, MD (D-WA-08)
Specialty: Pediatrics
Since being elected to Congress is 2018, Rep. Schrier has been a strong supporter for physicians and patients by leading her voice to debates on surprise medical billing, Medicare physician payment cuts, prior authorization and step therapy. She gained a coveted seat on the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee in her second term and she was a leading driver of preventing the 9.75% cut in Medicare physician reimbursement in 2022. Rep. Schrier has also been very accessible to AGA and our members.
AGA PAC supported candidates
Alaska
- Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK-2022): not yet determined
California
- Rep. Ami Bera, MD (D-CA-07) – internist: win
- Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA-16): win
- Rep. Raul Ruiz, MD (D-CA-25) – emergency physician: win
- Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA-46): win
Connecticut
- Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03): win
Florida
- Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL-16): win
Georgia
- Dr. Richard McCormick (R-GA-06) – emergency physician, open seat: win
Illinois
- Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL-01): retired
- Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08): win
- Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL-16): retired
Indiana
- Rep. Larry Bucshon, MD (R-IN-08) – cardiothoracic surgeon: win
Iowa
- Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA-01) - ophthalmologist: win
Kansas
- Sen. Jerry W. Moran (R-KS-2022): win
Kentucky
- Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY-02): win
Louisiana
- Sen. Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA-2026) – gastroenterologist: not in cycle
Maryland
- Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD-2022): win
Massachusetts
- Rep. Richard “Richie” Neal (D-MA-01): win
- Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA-02): win
New Hampshire
- Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH): win
New Jersey
- Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ-06): win
- Rep. Donald Payne, Jr. (D-NJ-10): win
New York
- Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY-10): win
- Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-08): win
Ohio
- Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH-13) – open seat Senate race: loss
- Rep. Brad R. Wenstrup, DPM (R-OH-02) – podiatric surgeon: win
Oregon
- Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR-2022): win
South Carolina
- Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC-2022): win
South Dakota
- Sen. John Thune (R-SD-2022): win
Utah
- Rep. John Curtis (R-UT-03): win
Washington
- Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA-01): win
- Rep. Jaime Lynn Herrera Beutler (R-WA-03): lost primary
- Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA-05): win
- Rep. Kim Schrier, MD (D-WA-08) – pediatrician: win
