Last week, AAMC President Darrell G. Kirch, M.D., sent a letter to Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., in support of the "Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2007." The bill would increase the number of residency positions for which Medicare will make payments to teaching hospitals in states that are experiencing a shortage of resident physicians. In the letter, the AAMC expressed support for "what we hope will be an ongoing movement towards eliminating the Medicare resident cap." The AAMC would not support the legislation, however, if the bill would be financed from other cuts in Medicare payments in which the association has an interest. The letter also expresses concern about the residency position allocation process proposed in the bill. The AAMC sent a similar letter to Representatives Kendrick Meek, D-Fla.; Jon Porter, R-Nev.,; and Kathy Castor, D-Fla., in response to a companion bill that was proposed in the House of Representatives last month. For more information, please visit http://www.aamc.org/advocacy/library/teachhosp/corres/2007/031407.pdf.