Lobbying Contracts

• APPROPRIATIONS. The Podesta Group is lobbying for the National Museum of American Jewish History, looking for more federal funding for the museum’s programs and facilities. Israel Klein, a former aide to Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), is working on the account.

• APPROPRIATIONS. CER Analytics Inc. has hired the Normandy Group to lobby for “federal funding for the Border Institute of Excellence on drug demand reduction program,” according to lobbying disclosure records.

• AIRLINES. GrayLoeffler LLC is lobbying for Southwest Airlines Co. Former Reps. Thomas Loeffler (R-Texas) and William Gray (D-La.) are the name partners at the firm, formerly called the Amani Group, and are lobbying on behalf of the airline.

• DEFENSE. The Conaway Group is lobbying for EADS North America on the defense authorization and spending bills.

• EDUCATION. Marlowe & Co. is lobbying for Flagler College in St. Augustine, Fla.

• ENERGY. The Alpine Group is lobbying for Magellan Midstream Partners, an energy firm, on a bill to support the construction of a renewable energy pipeline, federal lobbying records show. The firm is also lobbying on behalf of Poet, an ethanol producer, on the same issue.
Former Rep. Jon Christensen (R-Neb.) is lobbying for Eco Clean Energy, federal lobbying records show.

Liberty Strategies is lobbying for Patriot Coal Corp. Rashid Hallaway, a former legislative assistant to Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), is lobbying for the coal company, according to lobbying records. Another coal company, Central Coal Co., hired the Cumberland Group to lobby on climate change and the cap-and-trade bill.

PricewaterhouseCoopers is lobbying for the Oilfield Services and Drilling Industry Coalition. Former Rep. Bill Archer (R-Texas), the former chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, is tracking tax issues for the group, federal lobbying records show.

• HEALTHCARE. B & D Consulting is lobbying for Eli Lilly, a drug maker. The issue relates to online pharmacies.

• MANUFACTURING. Helena Chemical Co. hired Blank Rome to lobby on its behalf, according to federal lobbying records.

• TRADE. Barbour Griffith & Rogers is lobbying for the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai. The lobbying team includes Eric Burgeson, a former chief of staff at the Energy Department, and Alexander Cochran, a former senior adviser to the Housing and Urban Development secretary.

• Jenny Lurray will be the new vice president of government affairs and public policy for Susan G. Komen for the Cure and president of the Komen Advocacy Alliance. Lurray most recently worked at Abbot Laboratories as a lobbyist. She was Sen. Barbara Mikulski’s (D-Md.) chief of staff and legislative director for Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.). Lurray also was a Clinton White House aide.

• AUTOS. ML Strategies is lobbying for the National Automobile Dealers Association. David Leiter, former principal deputy assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy at the Energy Department, and Jeremy Rabinovitz, former chief of staff to Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), are lobbying on a number of bills that affect the auto industry.

Nuclear industry executives and lobbyists are busy making their case for billions to build the next generation of power plants.

While street protests in Tehran have garnered support and international attention, Iranian-Americans have found themselves with not much of a megaphone on K Street. 

The coal industry is pushing back against a climate change bill by circulating a map that shows which states would see their electric bills increase the most under the legislation.

The House clerk and Senate secretary have clarified guidance for the Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) that had confused K Street on how lobbyists can de-register.

Automakers and the United Auto Workers (UAW) union urged lawmakers this week to oppose efforts to remove money for a “cash for clunkers” program from the war supplemental bill.