Lobbyist’s in the US are legally required to disclose what issues they are lobbying on and how much they are being paid - and here, Moneyzine.com has rounded up the top 10 company’s spending the most on lobbying in the last 90 days - with Southern Co topping the list as 2023 kicks off.
It’s a public right to know what companies are spending money for legislative influence, and this data lets us know what particular issues certain conglomerates are pushing for.
Members of the public may be surprised to know, for example, that one of the largest gas and electric companies in the US have contributed hundreds of thousands in the last 90 days alone towards lobbying efforts on natural gas transportation issues and energy policy issuesJonathan Merry, CEO of Moneyzine.com
Southern Company (SO)
Total spend: $692,000
DC Insider Score: 85
Southern Company, an American gas and electric company, was the biggest spender on lobbying in the last 90 days, spending a total of $692,000.
The majority of the company’s spending went towards natural gas transportation issues, energy policy issues, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations, and general environmental policy.
Oracle Corporation (ORCL)
Total Spend: $690,000
DC Insider Score: 90
Oracle Corporation was the second highest spender on lobbying, with a total spend of $690,000.
The multinational computer technology company spent the majority of donations on the Defense Appropriations Act, cyber data protection issues, issues pertaining to government contracts, and lobbying to provide advice and counsel on cybersecurity and online privacy issues.
Illumina (ILMN)
Total spend: $600,000
DC Insider Score: 85
Illumina Inc, a biotechnology and genome sequencing company, has paid $600,000 towards lobbying in the past 90 days - and an estimated $14.6mn in the past two years to try to sway lawmakers.
$560,000 of the overall spend in 90 days has gone towards lobbying to support Illumina’s efforts to reacquire GRAIL Inc. According to the Financial Times, antitrust regulators in the US and Europe “have attempted to block [Illumina’s] $8bn acquisition of cancer testing company Grail”.
General Dynamics Corporation (GD)
Total spend: $527,500
DC Insider Score: N/A
General Dynamics Corporation, one of the largest aerospace and defence corporations in the US, has spent a total of $527,000 on lobbying in the past 90 days.
Out of the spend, $100,000 went towards defence and airport expansion, a further $70,000 went towards issues related to tax treatment of research and experimental expenditures, and military equipment sales to key nations, while a further $60,000 was spent towards lobbying on the National Defense Authorization act.
Comcast Corporation (CMCSA)
Total spend: $507,500
DC Insider Score: 93
Comcast, the largest telecommunications conglomerate in America, has spent $507,500 in total over the past 90 days on lobbying.
$60,000 of that spend went towards lobbying for strategic guidance on a host of policy issues important to comcast (piracy, privacy, cybersecurity). A further $50,000 went towards lobbying on an oversight of antitrust issues, and $60,000 was put towards net neutrality and broadband deployment.
T-Mobile (TMUS)
Total spend: $505,500
DC Insider Score: N/A
The sixth biggest spender on lobbying in the past 90 days was T-Mobile, spending a total of $505,500.
T-Mobile, a wireless network operator, spent $90,000 on lobbying for the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and broadband industry practices. The company put a further $60,000 towards issues related to broadband industry practice and the National Defence Authorization Act, and another $60,000 towards lobbying on federal matters related to telecommunications policies.
Intel Corporation (INTC)
Total spend: $440,000
DC Insider Score: N/A
Intel Corporation is a multinational technology company and one of the developers of the x86 series of instruction sets, which are found in the majority of personal computers. In the past 90 days, Intel spent an estimated $440,000 on lobbying.
The company spent $100,000 on issues related to patent reform, $60,000 on patent legislation, and a further $50,000 on the FY 2023 National Defence Authorisation Act.
Express Inc (EXPR)
Total spend: $400,000
DC Insider Score: N/A
Express Inc is an American fashion retailer with over 550 retail stores across the US, catering mainly to young men and women. In the last 90 days, it spent between $400,000 on lobbying for a number of issues.
Out of the money spent on lobbying, Express Inc spent $100,000 on general trade issues, and a further $100,000 towards legislative provisions of the Build Back Better Act relating to corporate taxation.
General Motors Company (GM)
Total spend: $387,500
DC Insider Score: 92
General Motors owns Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac, and takes the ninth spot of biggest spenders on lobbying in the past 90 days.
General Motors Company spent $80,000 of their lobbying spend on fuel economy, sustainability, and general automotive industry issues, $60,000 towards semiconductor issues and the US Innovation and Competition Act, and a further $80,000 on automotive electric vehicle tax credit legislation.
Alphabet Inc (GOOGL)
Total Spend: $380,000
DC Insider Score: N/A
Alphabet Inc is a multinational technology company, and is the parent company of Google. The company, worth an estimated $1.38 trillion, spent $380,000 on lobbying in the past 90 days.
Out of the company’s $380,000 spend, Google spent $100,000 towards antitrust issues, $80,000 on lobbying for the development, testing, and regulation of autonomous vehicles, and a further $70,000 towards issues affecting the computer industry such as copyright, cybersecurity, and competition in online services.
Contributors
