Governmental Affairs Agenda

AAVMC Governmental Affairs Agenda

Academic Veterinary Medicine: The Foundation & Future of a Vital Medical Profession For more than 50 years, the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) has been working to promote excellence in academic veterinary medicine. It’s members Veterinary medicine promotes include all 30 accredited colleges and schools the bounty and safety of our food of veterinary medicine supply, protects public health, in the United States. Headquartered at 655 ensures national security, and K Street, the AAVMC fosters the human/animal bond. works closely with the Association of American A strong and effective profession Medical Colleges (AAMC), of veterinary medicine is a the American Dental Education Association fundamental part of a strong (ADEA) and other and healthy nation, and a strong healthcare education associations to foster a system of academic veterinary One Health approach medicine is an essential part to human, animal, and planetary wellbeing. of a strong profession.

AAVMC • GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS AGENDA THE VETERINARY MEDICINE CAUCUS IN THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

People from all backgrounds and political persuasions agree: Veterinary medical colleges contribute to the overall wellbeing of our nation and our planet.

The Veterinary Medicine Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives “Veterinarians speak for encompasses members from both parties who represent a range patients who have no voice. of ideological views and geographic regions. The Caucus is led by At the same time, we keep Representatives Kurt Schrader (D-Oregon), and Ted Yoho (R-Florida), America’s food supply the who are both veterinarians, and was initially established in 2013. best and safest in the world.” The Caucus exists to keep Members and staff informed about the achievements, opportunities and challenges facing the profession of —Rep. Ted Yoho, DVM veterinary medicine. It also helps build awareness in Congress about the important role veterinary medicine plays in biomedical research, public health, animal health and welfare, food safety and the nation’s economy. The AAVMC periodically presents legislative brieﬁngs on Capitol Hill for Members and staff on timely topics like Zika Virus, avian inﬂuenza and other topics affecting human and animal health.

Veterinarians are working with physicians, agricultural producers and other scientists to address the looming public health threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

“Veterinarians have become the most qualiﬁed health professionals to help us deal with zoonotic diseases, bioterrorism, comparative medicine, and food safety issues...”

—Rep. Kurt Schrader, DVM

1 CARING FOR PEOPLE, ANIMALS & THE PLANET: ONE HEALTH

Federal government support for our nation’s schools and colleges of veterinary medicine is essential. AAVMC member institutions are training generations of veterinarians who are exceptionally well prepared to meet 21st century challenges in healthcare, food production and national security.

The Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges works closely “As both a veterinarian and a with the Veterinary Medicine Caucus, governmental agencies, policymakers medical doctor, I know how and leaders in commerce and industry to build understanding and support critical veterinary medicine is for academic veterinary medicine, which is the DNA of a strong profession. The comprehensive, multi-species education veterinarians receive fosters to human and animal health. a much-needed interdisciplinary approach to problem-solving and disease Veterinarians’ willingness to control. Veterinarians actively collaborate with physicians, biomedical ensure food safety and good scientists and other healthcare professions to promote human and animal animal husbandry is actually health and wellbeing. Veterinarians: a national security issue.” • Protect the bounty and safety of the nation’s food supply

—Rep. Ralph Abraham, MD, DVM • Provide human quality healthcare for our beloved family pets • Contain the menace of global infectious disease threats, many which originate from animal populations • Conduct life-saving research in cancer, heart disease, diabetes and many other areas • Serve as vital members of our nation’s emergency healthcare detection and response teams

Though focused on animals, veterinary medicine profoundly impacts human health and wellbeing in our interconnected world.

Senator Al Franken (D-Minnesota) introduced S.2634, The One Health Act of 2016, in the 114th Congress and is a strong advocate for One Health.

2 AAVMC • GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS AGENDA OUR LEGISLATIVE GOALS PROMOTE THE HEALTH & WELLBEING OF OUR NATION

The AAVMC advocates for the resources our U.S. colleges of veterinary medicine and departments of veterinary science and comparative medicine need to support America’s healthcare and food production systems. Our member institutions are preparing new generations of veterinarians for professional practice, Veterinary scientists play a critical role in biomedical promoting animal health and agricultural productivity, and research that protects protecting public health. These resources will help: human health and advances • Safeguard our nation’s food supply and the international food animal the National Institutes of products trade Health’s research agenda. • Protect animal health and foster human health and wellbeing through the human/animal bond • Support critically needed interdisciplinary biomedical research which must be conducted at AAVMC member institutions • Strengthen national preparedness and protect the nation from both naturally occurring and deliberately introduced infectious disease threats (bioterrorism) • Provide opportunities for qualiﬁed students to seek and establish careers in veterinary medicine • Promote the economic wellbeing, strength and resilience of the profession of veterinary medicine • Increase diversity and inclusiveness within academic veterinary medicine and throughout the profession

Veterinary medical colleges and schools are engines of innovation and discovery that solve problems and create progress.

Veterinarians provide human-quality healthcare for more than 150 million beloved family pets. A growing body of scientiﬁc data demonstrates the beneﬁcial effects of owning a pet on human health and wellbeing.

3 EUROPE

NORTH AMERICA

AAVMC

MEMBERSHIP ASIA & AUSTRALIA

Veterinary Schools and Colleges Departments of Veterinary Science Departments of Comparative Medicine Other Veterinary Medical Institutions Afﬁliate Veterinary Schools and Colleges

MEMBER INSTITUTIONS AFFILIATE MEMBERS Colleges or Schools of Oklahoma State University University of Glasgow Colleges of University of Connecticut Veterinary Medicine (United States) (United Kingdom) Veterinary Medicine (United States) Oregon State University University of Guelph (Canada) University of Kentucky Atlantic Veterinary College (United States) Central Luzon State (United States) at the University of Prince University of Illinois University (Philippines) Edward Island (Canada) Purdue University at Urbana-Champaign University of (United States) (United States) Københavns Universitet Nebraska-Lincoln Auburn University (Denmark) (United States) (United States) Ross University (West Indies) University of Melbourne (Australia) St. Matthew’s University Colorado State University Royal Veterinary College, (West Indies) (United States) University of London University of Minnesota Departments of (United Kingdom) (United States) Seoul National University Cornell University (Republic of Korea) Comparative Medicine (United States) St. George’s University University of Missouri (West Indies) (United States) The University Johns Hopkins University Iowa State University of Adelaide (United States) (United States) Texas A & M University University of Pennsylvania (Australia) (United States) (United States) M.D. Anderson Cancer Kansas State University University of Tokyo Center (United States) (United States) Tufts University (United States) University of Queensland (Japan) (Australia) Massachusetts Lincoln Memorial University Tuskegee University Institute of Technology (United States) University of Sydney (United States) Departments of (United States) Universidad Nacional (Australia) Louisiana State University Veterinary Science Pennsylvania (United States) Autónoma de México (Mexico) University of Tennessee State University (United States) Massey University Université de Montréal OARDC/ Ohio (United States) (New Zealand) (Canada) University of Wisconsin- State University Stanford University Madison (United States) (United States) Michigan State University Universiteit Utrecht (United States) (United States) (Netherlands) VetAgro Sup (France) Pennsylvania University of California, State University University of Calgary (Canada) Virginia-Maryland College San Diego (United States) Midwestern University (United States) (United States) University of California, of Veterinary Medicine University of Michigan South Dakota Davis (United States) (United States) (United States) Mississippi State University State University Washington State University (United States) University College (United States) Dublin (Ireland) (United States) Murdoch University (Australia) University of Arizona Other Western College of Veterinary North Carolina State University of Edinburgh (United States) (United Kingdom) Medicine at the University Angell Animal Medical University (United States) of Saskatchewan (Canada) Center (United States) The Ohio State University University of Florida (United States) Western University of Health (United States) Sciences (United States) University of Georgia (United States)

Map revised October 2016.

4 AAVMC • GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS AGENDA PARTNERSHIPS & COALITIONS

The AAVMC partners with support funding for training programs, various organizations, especially those targeted at increasing EUROPE diversity and inclusion. The Health including the following: Professions and Nursing Education Coalition (HPNEC) and the Federation • Land-Grant Institutions: AAVMC is a of Associations of Schools of the Health member of the Association of Public Professions (FASHP) are two such and Land-Grant Universities (APLU). examples. AAVMC partners with APLU to support • Research: AAVMC partners with extramural research in agriculture organizations, like Research!America, science and the development of future that are committed to making researchers. The AAVMC is working health-related research a higher closely with the APLU on measures to national priority. The AAVMC works mitigate the threat of anti-microbial with the National Coalition for Food and resistance. Agricultural Research (C-FAR) to increase • Other Veterinary Organizations: AAVMC national investment in agricultural ASIA & AUSTRALIA and the American Veterinary Medical research, extension and education. Association (AVMA) have a well- • Promoting Global Health and Well- established history of working together to being: The AAVMC has established the best represent the veterinary profession. Council on International Veterinary More than 3,000 veterinarians We also partner with veterinarians Medical Education to elevate the quality work for 20 federal agencies, representing specialty fields of practice of academic veterinary medicine around and in federal and state government. including the United States the world. We also work closely with Department of Agriculture • Animal Industry: AAVMC is a member of organizations like the Coalition of (USDA) and the U.S. Army. the Animal Agriculture Coalition (AAC), Universities for Global Health (CUGH) which represents the major animal and and the Eco-Health Alliance. animal-related commodity organizations (Source: National Association • The Benefits of the Human-Animal in America. We also partner with the of Federal Veterinarians) Bond: Scientific research has Animal Health Institute (AHI), which demonstrated the human health benefits represents companies with an interest in of pet ownership. The AAVMC works animal health. with the Human-Animal Bond Research • Health Professions: AAVMC works with Initiative (HABRI) to explore and promote all of the allied health professions to this relationship.

For more information, visit aavmc.org/advocacy Schools and colleges of veterinary medicine teach medicine that helps feed the world, alleviates suffering, contributes to groundbreaking medical advancements, protects the environment and makes the world a better, healthier place

Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges

655 K Street NW, Suite 725 Washington, DC 20001

202-371-9195 www.aavmc.org