Bottom Line

• AIRLINES.  Mercury Strategies is lobbying for U.S. Airways, a commercial airline. The firm is lobbying on the reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration bill and relief from a “perimeter rule” at Reagan Washington National Airport, federal lobbying records show.
• AUTOS. Quinn Gillespie & Associates is lobbying for the Committee to Restore Dealer Rights, which includes car dealers based in Maryland and Ohio. Mike Hussey and Dave Hoppe, former staff director and chief of staff to ex-Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.), are lobbying on behalf of the group.

• ENERGY. Latham & Watkins is lobbying for GWF Energy, a producer of alternative energy. The company is lobbying on a land-use issue, according to federal lobbying records.

Pathfinder Renewable Wind Energy hired Grassroots Political Consulting to lobby on its behalf. The firm is lobbying on a development issue regarding federal land and for expansion of transmission lines, federal lobbying records show.

• HEALTHCARE. Alston & Bird is lobbying for Continua Health Alliance, a coalition of technology companies and healthcare providers. Thomas Scully, former administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is among a group of lobbyists tracking the healthcare debate on Capitol Hill.

• INFRASTRUCTURE. The National Rural Water Association has registered to lobby Congress on appropriations for rural water and wastewater projects.

• RETAIL. Kountoupes Consulting is lobbying for Gap Inc. on healthcare, trade and issues relating specifically to the apparel industry. Lisa Kountoupes is a former legislative liaison to President Bill Clinton and was a policy adviser on the House Energy and Commerce Committee for then-Chairman John Dingell (D-Mich.). Julie Hershey Carr, former aide to Rep. Joe Pitts (R-Pa.); Lori Denham, a former chief of staff to then-Rep. Cal Dooley (D-Calif.); and Melissa Shannon, a former policy adviser to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), are also lobbying for Gap.

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