The AVMA has adopted a scoring system that will enable the Association to more effectively address federal legislative and regulative proposals, as well as evaluate congressional candidates in relation to the AVMA legislative agenda.

Since the AVMA has developed a legislative agenda for the 108th Congress, it is important to have defined and focused evaluation and scoring terms for legislation and regulations of interest to the Association, according to the Legislative Advisory Committee.

A scoring system will allow the AVMA Governmental Relations Division in Washington, D.C., and AVMA Political Action Committee to prioritize proposed bills and regulations, determine resources to expend on them, and more effectively evaluate how congressional candidates have helped or blocked the AVMA's legislative agenda.

The scoring system approved by the Executive Board uses six directives:

• Active pursuit of passage: The bill or regulation is placed on the AVMA legislative agenda for the current session of Congress, and a high-priority application of AVMA human resources will be expended to pass the bill or adopt the regulation.
• Support: The AVMA supports the bill or regulation, but it is not a high priority. A low-priority application of AVMA human resources will be expended on the bill or regulation. If asked, the AVMA is on the record as supporting the bill or regulation.
• Nonsupport: The AVMA does not support the bill or regulation, and it is not a high priority. A low-priority application of AVMA human resources will be expended on the bill or regulation. If asked, the AVMA is on the record as not supporting the bill or regulation. If applicable and appropriate, the AVMA might identify areas of the bill or regulation that would need to be changed for support to be considered.
• Active pursuit of defeat: The bill or regulation is placed on the AVMA legislative agenda for the current session of Congress, and a high-priority application of AVMA human resources will be expended to stop the bill from becoming law or the regulations from being adopted.
• No action: The AVMA makes no recommendation on the bill or regulation and does not have a position.
• Requests more information: The AVMA Executive Board requests specific information from appropriate staff before further evaluating or scoring the bill or regulation.