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CUNA Is Willing to Talk on Proposed Consumer Protection Agency

June 30, 5:35 p.m.

Despite widespread calls from the financial services community for President Barack Obama to back down on his plan to include a separate Consumer Financial Protection Agency, the Credit Union National Association says it is willing to negotiate with the administration.

After Pressure, LIUNA Set to Pull TV Spots

June 30, 11:50 a.m.

After pressure from Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus’ (D-Mont.) senior committee staff, the Laborers’ International Union of North America has done an about-face and will pull its television ad buy targeting Baucus and Senate Budget Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) starting Wednesday.

Genentech-Roche to Pull Out of PhRMA

June 29, 1:56 p.m.

Pharmaceutical giant Hoffmann-La Roche, which in March acquired Genentech, is pulling out of the industry’s big lobby group, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.

Health Care Ads Could Pick Up After the Break

June 29, 12 a.m.

The intensifying health care debate is following Members of Congress home to their districts during this week’s recess. A long list of industry and interest groups have taken out advertising spots, are activating grass-roots networks and are planning Member meetings outside the Beltway.

Chamber Will Score Energy Bill Vote

June 25, 6:49 p.m.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is expected to score Friday's vote on energy and climate change legislation, a source familiar with a forthcoming letter from the group confirmed on Thursday evening.

NAM to Rate Lawmakers on Climate Change Vote

June 25, 3:50 p.m.

The National Association of Manufacturers will consider House Members’ vote on contentious climate change legislation to be a “key vote” when the group rates lawmakers’ performance for the year, NAM announced on Thursday. The bill, which NAM opposes, is expected to hit the House floor on Friday.

Groups Use Cap-and-Trade as Key Vote

June 25, 12 a.m.

As the House prepares to vote Friday on climate change legislation, two groups representing tens of thousands of small businesses are upping the ante, saying they will use the cap-and-trade energy package vote to score lawmakers.

Merger of Two Retail Trade Groups Called Off

June 24, 3:54 p.m.

The National Retail Federation and the Retail Industry Leaders Association announced Wednesday that the two trade groups have ended merger talks.

After PhRMA, Hospitals Could Strike the Next Health Care Deal

June 24, 12 a.m.

Now that the pharmaceutical industry has a deal with Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and the White House to help pay for health care reform, K Street insiders say they expect the next sector in line for an agreement is the hospital industry.

Chrysler Deal Puts Fiat in D.C. Spotlight

June 24, 12 a.m.

Italian automaker Fiat SpA, the newest entrant to the American car market, is taking a low-key approach to its lobbying strategy, deciding for now against opening a K Street outpost and relying instead on a tractor-making subsidiary to make its case before lawmakers.

Banks Not Fans of Consumer Agency

June 23, 12 a.m.

Financial services industry trade groups are making cautionary noises against President Barack Obama’s proposed regulatory overhaul to create a Consumer Financial Protection Agency.

Outside Interests Step Up Lobbying Over Health Care

June 22, 3:01 p.m.

Just as President Barack Obama and Members of Congress step up their campaigning on health care, grass-roots activists on the right and left are hoping to influence the process with a series of television ads and Washington, D.C., rallies.

Senate Finance and HELP: Two Very Different Animals

June 22, 12 a.m.

In the Senate, two committees have jurisdiction over health care reform, and both are preparing landmark bills. But from the K Street point of view, all panels are not created equal.

Greater Insurance Regulation Sought

June 22, 12 a.m.

Supporters of regulating the insurance industry at the federal level are lobbying Congress to go beyond President Barack Obama’s financial regulatory reform overhaul.

Three Ex-Senators Craft Health Care Plan

June 18, 12 a.m.

Just as Senate bipartisanship over health care reform shows hints of fizzling, a collection of Senators-turned-lobbyists has come out with what they tout as a comprehensive and budget-neutral plan that both sides of the aisle could get behind.

Three Former Senators Unveil Health Care Plan

June 17, 2:51 p.m.

Three former Senators-turned-lobbyists have announced what they claim is a comprehensive and budget-neutral health care plan that both Democrats and Republicans can support.

Early Obama Loyalists Get No Special Entree

June 17, 12 a.m.

President Barack Obama benefited greatly from lobbyists’ support during the presidential campaign, but the same hasn’t been true for his K Street loyalists now that he’s in office.

Wellness Not Faring Well

June 17, 12 a.m.

Innocuous sounding “wellness programs” that many employers would like to see included as part of health care reform legislation have sparked a lobbying campaign by disease groups, consumer organizations and unions. They argue that the programs could potentially make health insurance unaffordable for some people and could compromise workers’ privacy.

Goodwill Works in Health Care

June 17, 12 a.m.

Money is not the only source of political capital in Washington.
Religious advocacy groups are using their store of goodwill to ensure that lawmakers address their paramount issue: long-term care.

Trial Lawyers Now Playing Defense

June 16, 12 a.m.

The American Association for Justice, the biggest organization representing trial lawyers, is ramping up its efforts on Capitol Hill and with the administration this week after President Barack Obama put the group on defense.

A Compromising Situation

June 15, 12 a.m.

With Democratic Senators continuing to work out a possible “card check” compromise, organized labor is getting antsy about the exact terms of the deal and worrying that its legislative window may be closing.

Biologics Battle Over Billions of Dollars

June 15, 12 a.m.

Lobbyists who want Congress to approve a swift pathway to generic versions of biotech drugs say the Federal Trade Commission last week handed their side a boost just as Congress wades into the health care reform debate.

A Sweet Tobacco Amendment Is Nixed

June 11, 12 a.m.

How sweet it isn’t for MacAndrews & Forbes.
The holding company’s lobbying effort to clarify a section of the tobacco bill aimed at shutting down the flavored cigarettes market was put on hold Wednesday after Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) indicated that no amendments would be added to the bill.

SEIU Responds to Chamber Ad Campaign With Its Own Advertisement

June 10, 2:03 p.m.

The Service Employees International Union responded online Wednesday to a new multi-year U.S. Chamber of Commerce marketing campaign that the Chamber says will promote the country’s “free enterprise values.”

FEC Nominee Sullivan Set for a Senate Grilling

June 10, 12 a.m.

The Senate Rules and Administration Committee on Wednesday will take up the nomination of labor lawyer John Sullivan, a Democratic-picked nominee for a seat on the Federal Election Commission.

Planning to Deregister? Not So Fast

June 10, 12 a.m.

Advocates trying to retroactively terminate their status as federal lobbyists in order to meet President Barack Obama’s stringent ethics rules may be out of luck.

Health Care Bill Elicits Mixed Views

June 10, 12 a.m.

The nation’s business lobbying groups spent Tuesday evening poring over more than 600 pages of legislative language contained in the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee’s just-unveiled Affordable Health Choices Act.

For Black Lobbyists, Progress Is Real but Big Challenges Remain

June 9, 12 a.m.

Donni Turner never imagined herself as a lobbyist. Nothing against the field, she said. The thought just didn’t occur to her when she graduated from Howard University in 1998.

FedEx Fights Back

June 8, 12 a.m.

FedEx is expected to launch a multimillion-dollar lobbying offensive as early as Tuesday to thwart legislation that would put the Memphis, Tenn.-based package delivery company under the same labor laws as its main competitor, United Parcel Service Inc.

Meat Industry Wants to Take Bite Out of Safety Bill

June 8, 12 a.m.

The meat industry has a beef with food safety legislation that is making its way through the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Baucus Staff Meets With Health Care Lobbyists

June 4, 5:21 p.m.

The staff of Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) continued its outreach to business lobbyists on Thursday, convening a meeting of K Streeters to discuss health reform legislation.

Card Check Supporters Form New Coalition

June 4, 11:55 a.m.

Business supporters of the Employee Free Choice Act have formed a new coalition, Business Leaders for a Fair Economy, leaders of the group announced Thursday.

Financial Services Roundtable, Technology Consortium to Merge

June 4, 10:51 a.m.

The Financial Services Roundtable announced Thursday that it is merging with the Financial Services Technology Consortium.

Insurance Industry Chiefs Set for Treasury Meeting

June 4, 12 a.m.

As the Obama administration works to put the finishing touches on plans for a major revamp of financial services regulations, a who’s who of the sector’s top lobbyists and high-level representatives are making the rounds this week at Treasury and the White House.

GM Axes Consultants

June 3, 12 a.m.

General Motors Corp. is firing all of its outside lobbyists as part of the automaker’s massive court-supervised reorganization, the company confirmed on Tuesday.

Health Care Lobby Faces Conflicts

June 3, 12 a.m.

With health care reform at the top of the Congressional and White House agenda, it’s prime time for industry lobbyists.

Bankruptcy Won’t Stop GM Lobbying

June 1, 5:22 p.m.

General Motors Corp., which filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday, will continue its lobbying and political operations, the automaker confirmed this afternoon.

Cash for Clunkers? Groups Taking Sides on Bill

June 1, 12 a.m.

Domestic automakers on Tuesday will announce their May sales figures, totals that are expected to add insult to injury to the ailing Big Three, whose membership includes the already-bankrupt Chrysler and the soon-to-be General Motors Corp.

Forces Gearing Up to Battle Value-Added Tax

June 1, 12 a.m.

Retail associations, anti-tax groups and even some progressive organizations are dusting off battle plans to fight a potential new tax they say would cripple the economy and unfairly target the poorest Americans.

White House Lifts Ban on Stimulus Contacts

May 29, 6:55 p.m.

The White House moved Friday evening to loosen lobbying restrictions related to stimulus funds, lifting the ban on federal lobbyists communicating with agency officials on specific projects for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Funds.

Expected Nominee for Top Food Safety Slot Already Provoking Controversy

May 26, 12 a.m.

The White House has yet to nominate anyone for the top food safety slot at the Agriculture Department, but public health and consumer advocates have already started a quiet campaign against the job’s frontrunner.

Grayson Bill to Require One-Week Paid Vacation

May 21, 12 a.m.

Freshman Rep. Alan Grayson, a Democrat whose Florida district includes tourist meccas such as Walt Disney World and the Universal Orlando Resort, plans to introduce a bill today that would mandate paid vacation for most American workers.

Auto Dealers Pushing to Save Car Lots

May 21, 12 a.m.

The House Judiciary Committee will hold an emergency hearing today on the potential fallout from shutting some 2,000 Chrysler and General Motors dealerships as part of the federal restructuring of the domestic automobile industry.

Hastert’s Quiet New Gig

May 20, 12 a.m.

Once a wrestling coach, always a wrestling coach.

NRA Hits the Legislative Trail With Guns Blazing

May 20, 12 a.m.

From the perspective of gun control advocates, the playing field is upside down. Their nemesis, the 138-year-old National Rifle Association, seems more powerful than ever.

Court Struggle Stokes Conservatives

May 19, 12 a.m.

Despite moves by Senate Republicans to downplay expectations of a battle royal over the next Supreme Court nominee, conservative judicial activists are increasing pressure on their Congressional allies to oppose a liberal jurist.

Nurses Intent on Being Part of Debate

May 18, 12 a.m.

Last week, hundreds of nurses rallied on Capitol Hill, carrying signs and calling for health care reform legislation. The California Nurses Association-National Nurses Organizing Committee and other nursing unions want lawmakers to pass legislation that would bring all Americans into a single-payer government system.

60-Day Review of Lobby Rules Ends Tuesday

May 18, 12 a.m.

The 60-day review period for the Obama administration’s new restrictions on lobbying federal agencies for stimulus funds ends Tuesday, but already there is concern that the White House will not address lobbyists’ concerns that the rules are discriminatory.

Health Care Coalition Says All Is Well

May 15, 4:25 p.m.

A White House health care coalition insisted on Friday that it is “committed to working together,” despite apparent dissension recently among the six stakeholder groups representing organized labor, drug and device makers, insurance providers, hospitals and doctors.

Al From Joins Parven Pomper

May 14, 4:05 p.m.

Al From, who played a key role in reshaping the Democratic Party two decades ago, is joining Parven Pomper Strategies, the lobbying firm will announce Friday.