Veterinarians to meet with Capitol Hill lawmakers to discuss student debt, healthy dog importation

WASHINGTON, April 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On April 27, 200 veterinary professionals will meet with senators, representatives, and their staffs to highlight the importance of legislation that will help increase access to veterinary services in rural areas and reduce the spread of diseases that pose a threat to animal and public health.

As part of the American Veterinary Medical Association's (AVMA) annual legislative fly-in, attendees, who represent 48 states and 20 veterinary schools, will educate congressional offices about the need to pass the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) Enhancement Act and the Healthy Dog Importation Act.

"The veterinary community stands united in advocating for Congress to help alleviate Veterinarian Shortage Situations in rural areas by assisting with the significant obstacle of student debt, and to ensure that dogs entering the country are healthy, thus reducing the potential for the spread of diseases that can endanger animal and public health," said Dr. José Arce, AVMA President. "Expanding the VMLRP means increased access to veterinary services for rural populations across the country and strengthening dog importation standards will decrease the chances of future disease outbreaks from the more than 1.2 million dogs imported into the U.S. each year. As veterinary constituents, we look forward to educating Congress about how vital the VMLRP Enhancement Act is to maintaining vibrant rural communities and the importance of strengthening our nation's animal and public health infrastructure by passing the Healthy Dog Importation Act."

The AVMA-endorsed VMLRP Enhancement Act would end federal taxation on VMLRP awards, thus enabling more veterinarians to participate in a program that offers up to $25,000 a year for student loan repayment in exchange for service in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-designated Veterinarian Shortage Situations. This would make the tax treatment of the awards the same as for the analogous program for physicians. Under the AVMA-championed Healthy Dog Importation Act, the USDA and other federal agencies would receive the necessary resources to monitor and safeguard the health of dogs being brought into the U.S., while ensuring they do not endanger animal and human health.

Co-chairs of the Congressional Veterinary Medicine Caucus, Reps. Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.) and Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), issued the following statements:

"As the only veterinarian serving in Congress, I take issues of animal health and safety very seriously. I am proud to serve as co-chair of the Congressional Veterinary Medicine Caucus and will continue to champion efforts aimed at the health, welfare, and protection of animals," said Rep Schrader. "I appreciate the work that AVMA is doing and look forward to meeting with them and other veterinary professionals during this year's fly-in to discuss the importance of expanding access to veterinary services, mitigating the spread of zoonotic diseases, and working to get our bipartisan legislation, the Healthy Dog Importation Act, across the finish line."

"The USDA continues to face a rural veterinarian shortage – we need a strong veterinary industry to ensure the health of livestock and pets across America," said Rep. Johnson. "I'm grateful for the AVMA's focus on animal health and dedication to veterinary services in rural states like South Dakota."

For more information on the AVMA's advocacy efforts, subscribe to the AVMA Advocate newsletter.

About the AVMA:
The AVMA is the nation's leading representative of the veterinary profession, speaking for more than 99,500 member veterinarians who care passionately about protecting animal health, animal welfare, and human health. Informed by its members' unique scientific training and knowledge, the AVMA advocates for policies that advance the practice of veterinary medicine and support the crucial work of veterinarians. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION  
Colin MacCarthy  
Media Relations Specialist  
American Veterinary Medical Association  
Cell/Text: 202-641-2533  
[email protected]  

SOURCE American Veterinary Medical Association