Bottom Line

By The Hill Staff - 10/01/12 07:05 PM ET

• ENERGY. ML Strategies has been hired by Soraa Inc., a Goleta, Calif., lighting technology company, to lobby on “general issues pertaining to advanced lighting, particularly LED technologies; general issues pertaining to Energy Star standards,” according to lobbying disclosure records. David Leiter, former chief of staff to Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), is lobbying for the company.

Bates Capitol Group has been hired by the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers to “promote reasonable fuel efficiency and auto safety standards for automobile industry,” according to lobbying disclosure records. G. Hunter Bates, former chief of staff to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), is lobbying for the trade group.

• HEALTHCARE. Tompkins Strategies has been hired by the National Federation of Independent Business to lobby on “issues related to the health insurance tax included in PPACA HR 1370 — to repeal the annual fee on health insurance providers enacted by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act S 1880 — Jobs and Premium Protection Act,” according to lobbying disclosure records. Elena Tompkins, a former senior legislative officer for the Labor Department during the George W. Bush administration, is lobbying for the trade group.

Thorn Run Partners has been hired by Novartis Corp. to lobby on “issues related to biologics, healthcare and Medicare,” according to lobbying disclosure records. Alex DelPizzo, former legislative director for ex-Rep. Mike Ferguson (R-N.J.), and Andrew Rosenberg, once a legislative aide to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, are lobbying for the company.

• TRANSPORTATION. Elmendorf Ryan has been hired by Carfax Inc. to lobby on “issues related to transportation and privacy,” according to lobbying disclosure records. Steve Elmendorf, former chief of staff to House Democratic Leader Richard Gephardt (Mo.), and Jimmy Ryan, once legislative director and general counsel to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), are lobbying for the company.

Biersack Government Relations Team has been hired by the Inflight Passenger Communication Coalition to lobby on “legislation & rules regarding voice communication services for passengers in the cabin on commercial aircraft,” according to lobbying disclosure records. Carl Biersack, former legislative director for ex-Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.), is lobbying for the coalition.