Six Lobbyists Per Lawmaker Work to Shape Health-Care Overhaul

Six Lobbyists Per Lawmaker Work to Shape Health-Care Overhaul
Aug 14, 2009 — KZeese By Jonathan D. Salant and Lizzie O’Leary
Bloomberg

Aug. 14 (Bloomberg) -- If there is any doubt that President Barack Obama’s plan to overhaul U.S. health care is the hottest topic in Congress, just ask the 3,300 lobbyists who have lined up to work on the issue.

That’s six lobbyists for each of the 535 members of the House and Senate, according to Senate records, and three times the number of people registered to lobby on defense. More than 1,500 organizations have health-care lobbyists, and about three more are signing up each day. Every one of the 10 biggest lobbying firms by revenue is involved in an effort that could affect 17 percent of the U.S. economy.

These groups spent $263.4 million on lobbying during the first six months of 2009, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a Washington-based research group, more than any other industry. They spent $241.4 million during the same period of 2008. Drugmakers alone spent $134.5 million, 64 percent more than the next biggest-spenders, oil and gas companies.

...“There’s a lot of money at stake and there are a lot of special interests who don’t want their ox gored,” Allison said.

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