Advocacy in Action: PAs Have the Attention of Congress…We Need Your Voice at LAS to Keep It!
August 17, 2026
By Chantell Taylor, Chief of Public Affairs & Advocacy
The 2026 Leadership and Advocacy Summit is less than six weeks away, and this year we have an opportunity to make it the most impactful PA advocate fly-in ever.
For the past several months, the fight to protect PA student access to higher federal student loans has fostered widespread Congressional attention on your profession – through your robust grassroots advocacy, 80+ AAPA meetings on the Hill, and national media attention spurred by AAPA’s ongoing efforts to shine a light on the impact that limiting federal loans would have on healthcare.
All this to say…you have the attention of Congress, and they need to hear from YOU – as both their constituents and current and future healthcare leaders!
Your voices are the ones that have made a difference in our fight to protect student loans, and we need to keep the momentum going. Not just to protect student loans, but to advocate for the removal of barriers that stand in the way of PAs meeting patients’ needs for affordable, quality care.
To that end, in addition to continuing to seek Congressional support for the Professional Student Degree Act (HR 6718) introduced by Rep. Michael Lawler (R-NY), at LAS we will highlight our package of priority bills that move that mission forward.
LAS is your opportunity to share your critical perspectives as healthcare providers directly with members of Congress and their staff – from protecting the workforce pipeline by including the PA profession in higher student loan caps, to removing arbitrary barriers preventing PAs from practicing to the top of their license, we need your voice.
Year-round, AAPA is in the halls of Congress advocating for changes to laws and regulations to ensure PA practice is not hindered and that PAs are at the forefront of efforts to improve the health and wellbeing of patients across the country. However, time after time we hear from lawmakers how critical and impactful it is to hear from constituents directly. This is your chance to join us in our efforts on the Hill, learn about other ways you can advocate for the profession in your community, and share the perspective that lawmakers need to hear most.
If you are an LAS veteran returning this year – I am looking forward to seeing you again this September!
And if you have never participated but are thinking maybe this is the year, I cannot stress enough how meaningful these three days in DC are. It’s a time to get inspired by your fellow PAs, celebrate victories of the past year, hone your advocacy skills, and build relationships with policymakers that can ultimately lead to real change in in your day-to-day practice and the care your patients receive.
In talking to PA advocates about LAS, one of the main hesitancies I have heard is that they have never met with members of Congress before. Don’t let that hold you back! At LAS, we dedicate a day to preparing before we go to the Hill, and you will be grouped with PAs from your state who will be with you every step of the way.
[Register for LAS by September 10!]
You can read an overview of the LAS schedule, testimonials, and other information for attendees on this page. And, if after reading more, you are still on the fence, please don’t hesitate to reach out to [email protected] with your questions.
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