AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2011 - 4

PRESIDENT’SPOSITION
The AOPA Political
Action Committee
M
aybe it goes without saying,
but with 405,000
members, AOPA is an enormous
organization—one of the
largest member organizations
in the United States. And with so many missions
to fulfill, perhaps it isn’t surprising that AOPA is
actually comprised of several organizations, all
working together under one banner in support of
pilots, community airports, and the cause of general
aviation.
I’ve often been asked why AOPA needs more
AOPA President
Craig Fuller was
Vice President
George H.W.
Bush’s chief of
staff.
than one organization to achieve our goals, and
I’d like to address that question today in this special column.
In fact, much of the answer has to do not so much with AOPA,
but with federal election laws.
For example, in addition to providing you with this maga-
zine and other membership benefits, AOPA is allowed by law
to use a certain portion of your dues for political efforts—representing
your interests before Congress, state legislatures,
and various regulatory agencies. However, under federal
election law, AOPA is strictly prohibited from advocating for
or against the election of any candidate running for the U.S.
House or Senate.
That’s why we launched the AOPA Political Action Com-
mittee (AOPA PAC) in 1980. Many of our members aren’t fully
aware of this unique organization, but AOPA PAC has a huge
role to play in protecting general aviation.
As a registered political action committee, AOPA PAC can
and does get involved in federal elections, providing direct
support to our friends in Congress when they need our help
in tough reelection battles. Not only can AOPA PAC provide
direct contributions to these candidates, but we can provide
our members with specific information about particular candidates,
including official endorsements at election time.
As you may know, our General Aviation Caucus in Con-
gress now numbers 101 U.S. representatives and 29 U.S.
senators—elected officials who have pledged to take our views
into consideration before voting on key measures that affect
the aviation community. When these members of Congress
go out of their way to help our cause, we need to help them
in return. Think about this: As a pilot, don’t you
deserve to have your voice heard in Washington
just like a union member, a teacher, a banker, or
a business owner? All these groups have Political
Action Committees to make their voices heard in
Congress, and your interests are just as deserving
as theirs.
That’s why AOPA PAC has a unique role to play
among all our AOPA organizations. And frankly,
there’s never been a more important time for you
to get involved in AOPA PAC through your financial
support. With key budget issues now under consideration
in Congress, our friends need to know that
we have the wherewithal to support them when
the next election rolls around. In fact, any member
of Congress—or anyone with an Internet connection
for that matter—can look at our latest AOPA
PAC financial reports on file at the Federal Election
Commission. And from these reports, they can see in plain
black and white whether AOPA PAC has the strength to support
Don’t you deserve to have your
voice heard in Washington just
like a union member, a teacher,
a banker, or a business owner?
our friends when the next election rolls around.
By making a generous contribution to AOPA PAC, you’ll
send a message to every member of Congress that pilots like
you are serious about protecting your freedom to fly. And
there is no contribution you can make that will have a greater
impact in Washington, D.C., to protect our flying community.
Working alone, none of us can have much impact on the
political process. But together with 405,000 fellow AOPA members,
you can make a huge impact. So please, if you make only
one political contribution this year, give a special gift to AOPA
PAC today. AOPA PAC has a unique and vital role to play in
protecting general aviation’s future—a role that, by law, no
other AOPA organization can fulfill.
Thank you for everything you do for general aviation as an
AOPA member!
Help support the only AOPA organization that can fight for your freedom
to fly at election time. Give a special contribution to AOPA PAC today.
• To contribute online: Visit www.AOPA.org/members/pac
• To contribute by phone: Call Toll-Free 800-872-2672
Thank you for making your personal mark on the future of general aviation!
AOPA PILOT • 4 • JUNE 2011
BY CRAIG FULLER
AOPA PRESIDENT
http://www.AOPA.org/members/pac http://www.AOPA.org/members/pac
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2011
