Political Action Committees: How Much Influence Will $7.7 Million Buy?

Abstract

The influence of health-related political action committees (PACs) continued to grow during the 1990 election campaign. During the first 18 months of the election cycle, contributions from medical and health care PACs to congressional candidates reached a total of $7.7 million. Among the leading PACs were the American Medical Association, American Dental Association, and American Hospital Association, which contributed a total of $3.3 million to congressional races through September 1990. For its study, HealthWeek monitored the contributions and Federal Election Commission reports of 52 leading health care PACs, including professional and trade associations, drug companies, insurers, and other groups. Trade groups made up about two-thirds of all PAC dollars spent, and several of these groups increased their spending significantly in the 1990 election cycle. Key lawmakers on health-related congressional committees received nearly $1.5 million from health care PACs, the study found. In all, 16 senators and representatives received more than $30,000 each from health care PACs. Senator John D. Rockefeller IV (Democrat, West Virginia) and Representative Thomas Tauke (Republican, Iowa) led the Senate and House, respectively, in total PAC receipts.