The Power of A

Some medical and health care trade associations are voicing concerns over the Senate legislation to regulate the nation’s financial industry, according to The Hill newspaper.

Currently, the Senate is considering S. 3217, legislation to regulate financial transactions through a new Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA) and an expanded Federal Trade Commission.  The concern is that the legislation seemingly allows oversight by the CFPA of any business that permits payments to be made in four or more installments.  The American Dental Association (ADA) notes that a 2009 survey shows roughly half of dentists allow payments in installments over a few months.

“This would not be a good thing to be included in the CFPA, in our opinion, because it really is intended for financial institutions,” ADA managing director of government affairs Michael Graham told The Hill.  House Small Business Chair Rep. Nydia Velazquez (NY-13) expressed the same concern to Senate Banking Chairman Chris Dodd (D-CT) that many small businesses not engaged in financial transactions could be over regulated by the new agency.

The White House and Senate Democratic leaders have said that dentists and other medical professionals do not fall under the purview of the bill.  The Senate Banking Committee’s report notes that merchants and retailers not “significantly” engaged in offering financial products would be exempt from the bill.  However, Velazquez and others are concerned that there is no specific legislative language saying the same.

Registration is now open for American Associations Day 2010, the only legislative fly-in for association professionals and leadership volunteers to discuss association issues.  On March 23-24, 2010, association executives, staff, and volunteer leaders are encouraged to join their colleagues from across the country in educating Congress about the importance of associations to society, advocating for important association issues, and networking with their colleagues.  You can register for the event at www.asaecenter.org/flyin10.

Last year, attendees of American Associations Day visited their Congressional delegations to discuss health care reform, the value of association to economic recovery, and the importance of association business meetings to the country.  These issues have been hot topics in Congressional debate this year, and the association professionals who attended were able to influence the debate by sharing an association viewpoint.

This year ASAE will unveil new components of its Power of A campaign at the fly-in, including new informational materials and an emphasis on the power of associations as a force for positive economic and social change.  Keep checking www.thepowerofa.org for more details on these changes.  In addition to the unveiling, this year’s program will feature an interactive and informative session on year-round grassroots advocacy, as well as enhanced meet-and-greet opportunities with fellow association executives and members of Congress.  For more information on this year’s event as well as a review of last year, please visit www.asaecenter.org/flyin.

ASAE is committed to ensuring that the cost of travel is not a reason association professionals cannot attend; ASAE is offering a number of $300 reimbursement travel scholarships to defray some of the travel costs for attendees.  Attendees also have access to discounted room rates in the headquarters hotel and a one-day program that allows participants to receive a travel scholarship by attending only one day of the program.

For more information on the event, visit http://www.asaecenter.org/flyin or call 202.626.2703.  For those on Twitter, ASAE is encouraging you to use the hashtag #asaeflyin when tweeting about the event.

Quick Hits

The Medicare/public option switch seems satisfactory to most Senate Democrats… but some are still waiting for the final price tag before committing to voting for the change… Lawmakers are working with communications associations to expand the use of cell phones in subway systems… An important agreement is reached in the House on the Consumer Financial Protection Agency Act.