2008-09 AMSA Legislative Agenda

The Executive Board of the Action Committees and the Board of Trustees of the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) have approved the following nine legislative issues. A formal review process of the legislative relevance of the focus issues is planned for November 2008.

This Legislative Agenda will direct the legislative and campaign work of the American Medical Student Association and of our Jack Rutledge Legislative Director and her office on behalf of AMSA.

1. Congress must ensure equity in access to quality, affordable health care for communities of color and underserved populations.
   
   
2. Congress must adequately fund the Title VII and VIII programs of the US Public Health Service Act.
   
   
3. Congress must regulate the conflict of interest to increase professionalism in interactions between pharmaceutical industry representatives and prescribers.
   
   
4. Congress must take proactive steps to reduce and eventually eliminate medical student indebtedness by reforming the Higher Education Act.
   
   
5. Congress must assure access to comprehensive reproductive health services.
   
   
6. States should support civil marriage for gay and lesbian couples.
   
   
7. Congress must invest in global health.
   
   
8. Congress must overhaul America’s health care system to create a publicly accountable, publicly funded, single payer system of health care for all.
   
   
9. Congress must invest in incentives to address shortages in the primary care physician and health care work force in underserved communities.