APMA News - September/October 2016 - 42

Federal Advocacy Forum By Patrick A. DeHeer, DPM Calling All Leaders I lecture frequently. I enjoy sharing knowledge and research with my colleagues. I have more than 30 lectures in my library, and every one of them ends with the same slide. It is a picture with two hands cupped together painted with the world map. The slide says "Do good wherever you are" with subtitles "#PayItForward" and "#GiveItUpForGood." The reason I end my lectures with this slide is that family, friends, and colleagues have helped me so much to get me where I am today. I try to pay it forward every day. I believe I owe that to both leaders who preceded me and to future podiatric physicians. I hope my last slide inspires those attending my lectures to do the same. At APMA, we have robust-but attainable-legislative goals. Attainable if you, our members, will pay it forward. In the July/August issue of APMA News, I wrote about the Oregon legislative calling method and asked for members to do their part in our grassroots advocacy to continue the move for parity at the federal level. The engagement by membership in calls to action is disappointing; we must do better. I chal- Connected yet? If you haven't yet registered on the FIP site www.fip-ifp.org take a moment to do so now. If you have already registered, be sure to check back often for updates, contest announcements and more. www.fipnet.org Your primary source for podiatry information around the world! 42 APMA News September/October 2016 lenge each and every one of you to make APMA legislative calls to action a priority. Responsiveness is especially critical for state component leadership, such as presidents, executive directors, board members, and APMAPAC coordinators. If just this group of leaders responded to emails, phone calls, or social media legislative calls to action, APMA would have a formidable grassroots program available at a moment's notice At APMA, we have robust- but attainable-legislative goals. Attainable if you, our members, will pay it forward. when urgent legislative issues arise. When remaining APMA members contribute, the result is an efficient, powerful grassroots campaign. We all are busy, but leaders lead. If you are in a position of leadership at the state level, please be responsive to APMA communications. We are on the same team, and we are much stronger working together than on our own. There are 436 congressional districts in the United States. One of the projects I have embraced as chair of the Legislative Committee is to develop a key constituent list identifying an APMA member from each congressional district committed to taking legislative action when called. A key constituent list would set the foundation for a minimal grassroots campaign, but it would be a significant step in the right direction. I would hope every component leader would commit to being on this vital list. More importantly, I would like to see each component create its own key constituent list to help populate the master list. The Legislative Committee needs access to these key constituents when urgent action is required. Please share member names, office phone number, cell phone number, email address, and social media information (Facebook and Twitter). You can email me directly at padeheer@apma.org. I look forward to receiving this information as we work together to pay it forward. We owe it to those who will follow in our footsteps to accomplish our professional legislative goals, which will strengthen the profession for us, as well. n APMA Trustee and Legislative Committee Chair Patrick A. DeHeer, DPM, can be reached at advocacy@apma.org. http://www.fip-ifp.org http://www.fipnet.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of APMA News - September/October 2016