PAC FAQ

AGA PAC is the bipartisan (supporting both Democrats and Republicans) political action committee of the American Gastroenterological Association. As the only PAC dedicated to gastroenterology, AGA PAC’s mission is to increase our member presence on Capitol Hill and support legislators and candidates who protect the needs of GI patients and health care professionals. Only AGA members can support AGA PAC – smaller contributions from individual members are pooled together to make larger contributions on behalf of the specialty.  

Political Action Committees (PACs) are organized to raise and spend money pooled by members or donors with a common interest to support or defeat candidates for elective office. PACs contribute to the campaigns of political candidates whose public policy priorities align with the ideals of the community that PAC represents. In our case, AGA PAC contributes to the campaigns of congressional candidates who work to advance AGA’s priorities. Contributions from individual AGA members make this possible.  

PACs like AGA PAC are also known as Separate Segregated Funds (SSFs), which are separate legal entities affiliated with and administered by an organization (AGA) that can solicit contributions from its members. As the name implies, money contributed to an SSF is held in a separate bank account from the connected organization’s general treasury. This is because only voluntary contributions from an individual’s account can be used by a PAC to contribute to a candidate’s campaign. Corporate and association dollars cannot be used to contribute to the campaign of a candidate for federal office. So, AGA PAC is the voluntary member, bipartisan political arm of the AGA.  

Decisions made by lawmakers in Washington, D.C. today will affect GI patient care for years to come. AGA PAC was founded in 2007 to give gastroenterologists an established presence on Capitol Hill and a more effective voice in policy discussions. AGA PAC serves a vital role in advancing AGA’s legislative agenda by contributing to campaigns of congressional candidates, regardless of party affiliation, who will advocate for policies that support GI professionals and patient care. Political support of legislators and candidates is a critical component of effective political engagement. AGA PAC is a key part of AGA’s ongoing advocacy, work and amplifies our work on the Hill, plus AGA members’ grassroots advocacy efforts around our priorities. Our PAC opens doors, educates legislators and candidates about issues impacting our patients and specialty and identifies friends and champions in Congress.  

AGA PAC is the only national PAC dedicated to gastroenterology. No other GI society has a political action committee working for you. 

Yes, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) was created to oversee all federal campaign spending activity, including PAC activity. In 1971, Congress passed the Federal Election Campaign Act, instituting disclosure requirements for federal candidates, political parties and political action committees (PACs). Following reports of large unregulated contributions to President Richard M. Nixon’s 1972 campaign, Congress amended the Federal Election Campaign Act in 1974 to set limits on contributions by individuals, political parties and PACs and established an independent agency, the FEC. PACs must operate under strict rules governing contribution limits and reporting requirements. AGA PAC reports all receipts and expenditures to the FEC on a quarterly basis and the reports by PACs are accessible to the public. 

No, PACs are required to operate within specific contribution limits. Per the Federal Election Commission (FEC) requirements, we can contribute $5,000 maximum per candidate per election. So, if AGA PAC wanted to support John Smith’s candidacy for Congress, the PAC could donate $5,000 to Smith’s primary election campaign and another $5,000 to the general election campaign. 

Check out the list of supported candidates here. 

AGA members like you! The AGA PAC Board of Advisors, a nonpartisan panel of AGA member gastroenterologists, carefully reviews and approves all candidate contributions. Learn more about our candidate selection process.