Money Spent on Lobbying
Year
2010
2009
2008
Center for Responsive Politics
Total Spent
$3,492,725,128
$3,492,571,521
$3,300,340,032
Number of Lobbyists
12,985
13,721
14,212
Top Spenders
Lobbying Client
US Chamber of Commerce
American Medical Assn
General Electric
AARP
Pharmaceutical Rsrch & Mfrs of America
American Hospital Assn
AT&T Inc
Blue Cross/Blue Shield
Northrop Grumman
Exxon Mobil
National Assn of Realtors
Verizon Communications
Edison Electric Institute
Business Roundtable
Boeing Co
Lockheed Martin
Southern Co
PG&E Corp
General Motors
Pfizer Inc
Total
$738,825,680
$243,277,500
$236,580,000
$197,752,064
$195,143,920
$194,316,789
$161,557,725
$159,178,718
$159,175,253
$156,692,742
$155,997,380
$148,974,841
$147,075,999
$142,824,000
$139,424,310
$135,124,293
$117,840,694
$117,680,000
$116,379,170
$107,267,268
NOTE: All lobbying expenditures on this page come from the Senate Office of Public Records. Data for the most recent year
was downloaded on January 31, 2010.
Center for Responsive Politics
Ranked Sectors
Sector
Agribusiness
Communication/Electronics
Construction
Defense
Energy/Nat Resource
Finance/Insur/RealEst
Health
Lawyers & Lobbyists
Transportation
Misc Business
Labor
Ideology/Single-Issue
Other
Total
$1,317,839,638
$3,611,482,885
$482,824,245
$1,261,711,454
$3,233,636,465
$4,405,909,610
$4,369,979,173
$348,111,867
$2,323,450,594
$4,352,728,292
$441,259,274
$1,514,021,745
$2,272,519,632
NOTE: All lobbying expenditures on this page come from the Senate Office of Public Records. Data for the most recent
year was downloaded on January 31, 2010.
Center for Responsive Politics
Top Lobbying
Firms & Income
(2010)
Center for Responsive Politics
Patton Boggs LLP
• “For more than 40 years, Patton Boggs has maintained a
reputation for cutting-edge advocacy by working closely with
Congress and regulatory agencies in Washington, litigating in
courts across the country, and negotiating business
transactions around the world. Our partners include women
and men with extensive backgrounds in government service
with strong ties to both major political parties, as well as topflight litigators and individuals with a keen understanding of
business and finance.”
www.pattonboggs.com
Groups that Have Retained Patton Boggs LLP:
Client
Total
Subsidiary (Lobbied For)
Industry
1-800 Contacts
$160,000
-
Health Services
3G Capital
$0
Burger King
Food & Beverage
Ad hoc Cltn Preserve
Clinical Lab Serv
$100,000
-
Health Services
Ad Hoc Cmte on Federal
$90,000
Issues
-
Insurance
Ad Hoc Deep Water
Expl/Production Cltn
$260,000
-
Oil & Gas
Adaptive Marketing
$50,000
-
Computers/Internet
AECOM
$10,000
-
Misc Transport
Aero Union Corp
$130,000
-
Air Transport
Affymax Inc
$200,000
-
Pharm/Health Prod
Air France-KLM
$20,000
-
Air Transport
Albert Einstein
Healthcare Network
$60,000
-
Health Services
Alliance for Quality
Nursing Home Care
$420,000
-
Hospitals/Nurs Homes
Alliance for Savings &
Investment
$130,000
-
Misc Issues
Center for Responsive Politics
Issues
Center for Responsive Politics
Maria Cantwell Democrat (Elected 2001),
WA Senate district
Maria Cantwell is a member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, the Senate
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the Senate Committee on
Small Business and Entrepreneurship, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources, and the Senate Committee on Finance.
In the 111th Congress, Maria Cantwell was a member of the Senate Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the Senate Committee on Small Business
and Entrepreneurship, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, the
Senate Committee on Finance, and the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.
In the 110th Congress, Maria Cantwell was a member of the Senate Committee on
Energy and Natural Resources, the Senate Committee on Finance, the Senate
Committee on Indian Affairs, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation, and the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
Maria Cantwell can be contacted at 202-224-3441.
www.maplight.org
www.maplight.org
Rick Larsen Democrat (Elected 2000),
WA House district 2
Rick Larsen is a member of the House Committee on Armed
Services and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
In the 111th Congress, Rick Larsen was a member of the House Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure, the House Committee on Armed Services, and
the House Committee on the Budget.
In the 110th Congress, Rick Larsen was a member of the House Committee on
Small Business, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and
the House Committee on Armed Services.
In the 109th Congress, Rick Larsen was a member of the House Committee on
Agriculture, the House Committee on Armed Services, and the House Committee
on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Rick Larsen can be contacted at 202-225-2605.
www.maplight.org
www.maplight.org
www.maplight.org
www.maplight.org
www.maplight.org
S. 223 - FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety
Improvement Act
Transportation and public works. 112th Congress (2011-2012)
Sponsor: John Rockefeller
Summary: A bill to modernize the air traffic control system, improve the
safety, reliability, and availability of transportation by air in the United
States, provide modernization of the air traffic control system,
reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration, and for other purposes.
(by CRS)
Status:The bill was voted on in the Senate on February 17, 2011
Amendments:108 proposed amendments. 30 accepted. 7 rejected. View
amendments
www.maplight.org
Senate Vote: On Passage
PASSED on February 17, 2011.1/2
required to pass
voted YES: 87
voted NO: 8
www.maplight.org
S. 787 - Clean Water Restoration Act
Clean Water Act of 1972, Wetlands, EPA, Solid Waste Environmental protection. 111th Congress (2009-2010)
Sponsor: Russell Feingold
Summary: A bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act to clarify the jurisdiction of the United
States over waters of the United States. (by CRS)
Status: The bill has passed through committee and has
been put on a legislative calendar
www.maplight.org
www.maplight.org
• To win election, U.S. House members raised, on
average, $1,900 per day, every day, for an entire two-year
term—including weekends and holidays.
That’s $1.4 million per House member, on average.
• Winning senators raised $8.5 million, on average—
$3,900 per day. (These figures are for the 2008 election, from the
nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.)
• The main source of this campaign money is interest
groups that want something from government.
• Once elected, politicians often pay back their campaign
contributors with special access and favorable laws.
• This common practice is legal, but does it represent the
public interest?
Iron Triangle
a term used by political scientists to describe the policy-making relationship among the
congressional committees, the bureaucracy (executive) (sometimes called "government
agencies"), and interest groups.
Interest Groups
organization of people who share political, social or other
goals; and agree to try to influence public policy to
achieve those goals.
Types of Interest Groups
• Public Interest Groups – don’t usually expect to profit from
the policies they seek.
– Ex: League of Women Voters, Environmental Defense Fund
• Economic Interest Groups – the largest category, they are
numerous and powerful in capitalist societies.
– U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers
• Government Interest Groups – organizations that bring issues
of local and state government before congress.
– National League of Cities, National Conference of Mayors
Types of Interest Groups Cont…
• Single-Issue Interest Groups – advocate for or against a single
issue.
– Ex: National Rifle Association, National Coalition to Ban Handguns
• Civil Rights Interest Groups – Interest groups that form to
advocate for civil rights and also social welfare, immigration
policy, affirmative action, and gender issues
– Ex: National Association for the Advancement of Colored People,
Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund
• Religious Interest Groups – groups that lobby for a religious
agenda
– Ex: Christian Coalition
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