BIP Winter 2024

PAC members can also volunteer in the candidate evaluation process. NABIP PAC doesn't get involved in primary elections, but during the general election, if a candidate fills out the PAC's candidate survey, the board will vote to determine if the candidate should receive funds from NABIP PAC. “Many of our monthly budget change proposals come from members in-district,” Haberman says. “We need people to be active that way, and we want them to leverage the strong relationships they already have, strengthen those relationships and create new ones.” Just as people will support their faith, education, arts and other initiatives that are important to them, “it is necessary in this country to support the political process,” Haberman adds. “It is important for people who care about the outcomes to be invested. People should give to the level where it is meaningful. For a lot of people, that starts at Capitol Club. That level of giving makes a big difference for the PAC. And for the candidate to receive that money.” Capitol Club-level donations range from $1,000 to $5,000 a year and entitle members to attend exclusive events and receive additional communications about the PAC’s activities and the overall U.S. political landscape. Gray has always approached PAC recruitment similarly to how he’s handled life insurance sales during his career. “I know how to ask,” he says. “‘Is there any reason why you can't sign up today and participate in being a part of the future?’ And then, you have to be quiet. When you do that, they've got to answer.” Currently, less than 15% of NABIP members contribute to the

“I don't understand why somebody in

our profession would not have the commitment to support important causes within the industry that provides such a good standard of living,” he says. “I've been involved in the PAC for so many years, and I'm still very frustrated. Not so much by the dollar amount but by the percentage of participation. It may be a lack of understanding of the importance of what the PAC does.” Why your contribution matters Thanks to initiatives like NABIP’s Healthcare Bill of Rights, the association is coalescing more than ever around goals that support access and affordability of care. “We are really aligned on what it is we want to achieve,” says Haberman. “The question is, how do we make sure that we are at the table, creating those solutions, as opposed to being the funding mechanism for someone else's solution?” To act proactively, NABIP needs to have healthy, active relationships with legislators to make the connection between laws,

PAC. That's about 1,000 active participants. It’s a longtime source of frustration for Magnuson. regulations and real-life impacts. “ We are there as a resource. As members of Congress, every day, they're inundated with all kinds of requests and bills to sign and things well outside their scope of knowledge. No one person can know everything. So, they need outside resources to educate them. And that needs to be our role.” — RAY MAGNUSON

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