Advocacy

By advocating for (or against) legislative policy, the Association works to protect and preserve the interests of members.

Communicating with policymakers is a key part of the strategic plan. Leadership and staff work regularly work with members and colleagues to effectively represent the profession through engagement with legislators, media, and the public. Whether crafting messages for print or meeting face-to-face with lawmakers on Capitol Hill, AAA works to ensure that members are equipped with messages that resonate.

Advocacy Letters

AAA periodically signs on to advocacy letters supporting or opposing specific pieces of legislation, policy, or actions proposed or enacted by Congress, the administration, or others. The AAA Board of Directors votes to decide whether our name should be added to letters. These letters to lawmakers and government officials help to clearly communicate the organization's position, reflecting members' expertise and interests. Participation in any such letter requires Board approval, whether authored or co-signed by the Association. Selected advocacy letters include:

Links to co-signed letters may reside on a non-AAA domain or website.

Position Statements

An important aspect of successful advocacy is using a unified voice. The Board of Directors, with input from members and staff, develops timely and relevant position statements when necessary. Because AAA represents all anatomical sciences and members in various settings, position papers are important tools for:

  • establishing and clarifying positions
  • providing background and information on those positions
  • educating those outside the discipline seeking expert viewpoints on issues important to them

Selected Positions

FASEB

As a member society of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), members are represented by a powerful public affairs and advocacy organization. The FASEB Office of Public Affairs (OPA) works with AAA and other representatives of FASEB's member societies to develop and promote policies to advance research and education in the biological and biomedical sciences. FASEB focuses on priority areas of clinical and translational research, animals in research and education, training and career opportunities, and data science and informatics.

Capitol Hill Day

Each spring, AAA members participate in annual FASEB’s Capitol Hill Day events. Scientists from around the country fly to Washington, D.C., to visit congressional representatives and ask for their support of research funding and bipartisan endorsement of federal research agencies.

In 2019, AAA sent the largest delegation out of the 24 participating FASEB-member societies. The delegation met with 109 congressional offices to urge legislators to raise budget caps and support increased funding for the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Department of Energy Office of Science, Veterans Administration Medical and Prosthetic Research Program, and the competitive research program administered by the Department of Agriculture.