SUMMARY:

·NVMSA is a loan repayment program for veterinarians who practice in underserved areas. This loan repayment program is to be administered by the USDA.
· The rapid escalation in average veterinary student debt, now exceeding $100,000, coupled with the worsening shortage of veterinarians practicing in rural communities, provided the original impetus for this Act.
· Recently heightened awareness of terrorist and foreign animal disease threats to our public health and food supply resulted in an expansion of NVMSA’s authority to include shortage areas in government positions and inner-city practice.
· NVMSA also creates a reserve corps of veterinarians available for mobilization in the event of an animal disease emergency or disaster.

Current Status:
· Enacted in December 2003 and appropriated in both FY06 and FY07, NVMSA’s rules remain unwritten by the USDA, rendering the program non-functional.
· Despite receiving criticism for its emergency preparedness and response in recent catastrophes, the Bush Administration has yet to request funding for NVMSA, priorities its rule-making process, or attempt to develop NVMSA’s reserve emergency veterinary corps component.

Purpose:
· Improve the country’s emergency preparedness and response capability in the event of an animal catastrophe.
· Provide rural and disadvantaged communities with veterinary services.
· Alleviate the problem of an enlarging veterinary student debt to salary ratio.

Why AVMA Supports this Issue:
Veterinarians are the first medical professionals to diagnose the diseases in animals that may spread to humans (“zoonotic” diseases). An increasing number of the diseases that threaten public health are zoonotic, as are 80% of potential bioterror disease agents. The exponential spread of infectious disease necessitates rapid diagnosis if the disease is to be controlled. The geographic absence of veterinarians in many rural areas thus constitutes a significant threat to our country’s public health. Additionally, the safety of our country’s food supply is safeguarded by veterinarians. Not only is the food supply vital for obvious reasons, but the economic activity generated by the food supply is also critical to our country’s economy.

Known Opposition to the AVMA Position: None

For More Information: For information on how you can work with your Member of Congress to support this legislation, please contact Dr. Robert Nichols of the AVMA-Governmental Relations Division at (202) 289-3204, or rnichols@avma.org.

GRD/RWN 1/31/07

The AVMA is the recognized voice for the profession, representing over 75,000 member veterinarians.  The objective of the AVMA is to advance the science and art of veterinary medicine including its relationship to public health, biological science, and agriculture.

MORE INFORMATION ON NVMSA

One of the most important aspects of organized veterinary medicine is having a structure in place to disseminate information quickly and effectively in order to elicit a massive response; your work developing and reshaping the organizational structure of SAVMA and SCAVMA and the work of the students throughout the country over the years will enable this to happen with the current issue.

The AVMA Governmental Relations Division is continuously working on behalf of the veterinary profession in Washington DC and has identified that NOW is a critical moment to gain support for the National Veterinary Medical Services Act (NVMSA). Please take a moment to read the attached overview explaining the history of the veterinary school loan repayment program and following information contained in this email. It is also very important to pass this along to your respective Student Chapter of the AVMA members so they will be able to contact their respective Members of Congress and the USDA. It could mean an opportunity for you or future veterinarians to be able to effectively payoff student loans -THE biggest concern of veterinary students everywhere. We want them to get so many responses that they ask us to stop contacting them!

The National Veterinary Medical Services Act needs your support NOW. The next two weeks are especially critical and it would be great if the response could be continued over the next month. Here is what needs to be done:

The first important step is to identify your individual Members of Congress. If you are unfamiliar with these individuals, their information can be found at the following websiteshttp://www.capwiz.com/avma/home or www.senate.gov or www.house.gov by entering your zip code. The USDA is also intimately involved with the initiation of the NVMSA and contacting their office will be equally important. Each student has the potential to contact a total of 9 people:

1/2. Your Senator’s Agriculture Appropriations staffer (two Senators to contact)

3. Your Representative’s Agriculture Appropriations staffer

4. USDA Secretary- Mike Johannes 202.720.3631

5. USDA Deputy Secretary- Chuck Conner 202.720.3631

6. USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety- Dr. Richard Raymond 202.720.0351

7. USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs 202.720.7813

8. USDA Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics- Gayle Buchanan 202.720.5923

9. USDA CSREES Administrator- Colien Hefferan 202.720.7441

Now that you have these individuals identified, the second critical step is to contact them to gain support to get the program fully funded and off the ground. Personally written letters that can be faxed to the office are the most effective communication tool. You can contact your Senator and Representative offices by calling the capital switch board at (202) 224-3121 and asking for the appropriate personnel and fax numbers. The communication should be specifically directed to the individual who is the Agriculture Appropriations Staffer. You can contact the USDA offices by using the phone numbers provided next to their name above.

The following information is critical to include when you contact them:

1) Request the rules for the full National Veterinary Medical Services Act be completed so the program can be started and that development of only the FSIS mini-program is not acceptable progress

2) Request the National Veterinary Medical Services Act receive full funding

As student leaders of the veterinary profession there are moments when issues become critical - this is one of those times. Help the SAVMA and the AVMA continue to be an effective organization for the profession by demonstrating your concerns to the appropriate individuals now. We have provided the information, the contacts and the time frame - the rest will be up to what we can do collectively. Feel free to pass this information along to family, friends, or other interested parties that would also be willing to help in the effort.

We are an organization of 75,000 veterinarians and an additional 11,500 students strong. Please take a few minutes over the next couple of days to help us effectively get this program initiated and ideally increase funding.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact John Sullivan, Legislative and Policy Coordinator, AVMA GRD office in Washington DC by email: jsullivan@avma.org or by phone: 202.289.3208.