The DPA enters the 2009 Fiscal year in a very healthy financial position which allows for the support of various projects and initiatives. The 2009 budget as approved at the Executive Council meeting inApril at theAAPGAnnual Convention included support for the GeoDC. The DPA has been a sponsor of this program since its inception in 2006 because the representation that it provides our membership inWashington makes it a very worthy cause. Funding was also approved for two related items. One is for the subscription to TrendTRACK which tracks bills at the state and federal levels. This will allow DPA members to stay abreast of relevant legislation in their states as well as pending federal legislation. The second item is travel support for DPA members who wish to attend the CongressionalVisitation Days (CVD). Members who have attended the CVD in the past have said it is an eye opening experience and most of those who have attended in the past utilized their own funds to make those trips toWashington.

Other projects of note include 1) an informational CD about the O&G industry that is distributed to government representatives, 2) sponsorship of a DPA function at eachAAPG section meeting, and 3) support for development and advertising of web-based ethics short-courses.

The Executive Committee is continually looking at new ways to provide benefits to their members and the DPA's strong financial position allows them to do this.