The nation’s 10 biggest spenders on federal lobbying shelled out a combined $75.3 million in the first quarter, new disclosures show, as K Street begins to prepare for the coming tumult of the midterm campaigns.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, Amazon, and Facebook’s parent company Meta were among the groups and companies that disclosed spending the most on lobbying so far this year, according to disclosures filed to the House and Senate this week.
They lobbied on a range of topics, including Democrats’ stalled reconciliation package, a sprawling China competition bill, a bill to cap consumer payments for insulin at $35 a month and ongoing pandemic-related matters. The top 10 disclosed spending more than the top 10 did in last year’s first quarter, when the total was $68.2 million. But spending on lobbying by the top companies and groups hit $81.6 million in early 2020, as lawmakers rushed relief to deal with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
