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National LegislationAGD continuously monitors national legislation so that the organization can communicate the interest of the general dentist to interested parties. In addition, the organization maintains policies to communicate the AGD position when speaking to national legislators on the general dentists’ behalf. AGD encourages its members to advocate on behalf of the profession as well. Review the current list of the AGD dental care and legislative policies to use in your communications with local lawmakers. In addition, the AGD publishes updates on national legislation that may affect general dentists. Click on the links below to learn more about national legislation that the AGD is monitoring or view earlier legislative updates from the AGD by click on the archive link on the right.
Faced with historically large and unsustainable annual budget deficits into the foreseeable future and a mushrooming federal debt that is causing alarm among economists, Congress is facing increased pressure to bring discretionary spending under control. Many congressional Democrats are beginning to join with Republicans in efforts to statutorily constrain federal spending.
Sens. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) and Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) have continuously introduced an amendment to various bills throughout the year to impose statutory caps on all discretionary spending that would restrict the rate of growth to less than two percent annually for five years. The Sessions-McCaskill amendment garnered 59 votes the last time it was offered in February 2010. It is very possible that the amendment could receive enough votes in the near future to end debate and force a vote.
In the House, a group of 54 conservative Democrats, known as the “Blue Dog Coalition”, has introduced legislation to impose statutory spending caps on all non-security-related discretionary spending. The Blue Dog plan would require such spending to be cut by two percent annually for three years and subsequently frozen for an additional two years. While the bill is opposed by House Democratic leaders and is unlikely to be brought to the floor for a vote, the legislation would be able to pass the House if House Republicans joined with the Blue Dogs.
Impact on General Dentistry: At this time, it is unclear what will happen with federal spending for fiscal year (FY) 2011, though it is clear that members of Congress are feeling the need to restrain spending in some fashion. Most of the federal programs that are of importance to the AGD, including all general dentistry training programs authorized by Title VII of the Public Health Service Act, are funded through discretionary spending that would be subject to such restrictions. At this time, President Obama’s proposed budget for FY 2011 calls for the dentistry training programs to receive healthy increases, but Congress has the final say on all appropriations matters. The AGD will continue to track this matter closely and to educate members of Congress about the importance of the general dentistry training programs.
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