All articles tagged with #lobbying
KFF Health News reports that the Trump administration established a private Slack workspace to coordinate AI health policy with major tech firms, bypassing public oversight. This 'Health Technology Ecosystem' allowed companies like Microsoft and Google to influence the Medicare App Library and reimbursement rules without public notice, raising concerns about regulatory capture and patient data privacy.
The Trump administration has established a private Slack workspace, dubbed the Health Technology Ecosystem, to coordinate AI health policy with major tech firms. This closed-door channel, which bypasses public regulatory processes, has facilitated the rapid integration of AI apps into Medicare reimbursement and patient data access without formal oversight or public transparency.
Apple and Google are actively lobbying state legislatures to pass laws that would protect their app stores from lawsuits related to age-verification failures. This strategy follows a stalemate in federal legislation on children's online safety. The move aims to limit liability as states enact stricter age-verification rules, though it has drawn criticism from tech safety advocates.
Former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor has been named the next president and CEO of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), effective November 9. He will succeed Steve Ubl, who is stepping down after 11 years. Cantor, a former Virginia Republican, joins the trade group at a critical time as the pharmaceutical industry faces intense scrutiny over drug pricing, tariffs, and vaccine safety from both the Trump administration and Congress. The appointment marks a shift toward a leader with significant business and political experience, though it has drawn mixed reactions regarding his partisan background.
U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle is facing scrutiny from European officials over her frequent public appearances with Christos Marafatsos, a private lobbyist for the Greek energy firm Aktor Group. While Guilfoyle aims to reduce European reliance on Russian energy, her close association with Marafatsos, who lacks diplomatic experience, has confused regional leaders and raised questions about the intersection of state diplomacy and private commercial interests.
The Protect College Sports Act has unusual bipartisan support because the Power Five conferences span states represented by both parties and wield significant lobbying influence; lawmakers hear more from coaches and school administrators than from student-athletes, who largely oppose the bill, illustrating how money and influence in college sports can bridge political divides while players’ voices remain underrepresented.
Crypto’s bid for a sweeping federal framework collapsed in the Senate as ethics concerns tied to Trump-era crypto ventures outweighed industry influence, leaving the Clarity Act short of the 60 votes and signaling that money alone can’t overcome partisan opposition; Democrats demanded stronger ethics provisions and bank-lobbying concerns helped sink support, though regulators are still moving to provide ‘regulatory clarity’ and industry advocates vow to press on.
A coalition of large self-funded employers warns Congress that the 2020 No Surprises Act is driving up health-insurance costs and arbitration disputes, potentially boosting premiums. The ERISA Industry Committee—whose members include ExxonMobil, Walmart, and others—pushed for reforms to curb dispute costs and change price benchmarks, as lawmakers hold roundtables and consider amendments ahead of a lame‑duck session.
Jon Voight, named Trump’s Hollywood special ambassador, is leading a bipartisan push for a federal film-and-TV tax credit, coordinating with unions and studio chiefs; after a White House meeting where Trump signaled support, Voight frames the measure as a nationwide jobs boost to keep production in the U.S.
Public records and lobbying disclosures show the ACC actively steered the Protect College Sports Act campaign, coordinating with Senate offices, collecting member questions, and coordinating outside lobbying (including DLA Piper) to influence draft language and enforcement provisions. The effort spanned June to the bill’s near-vote, with the conference pressing for changes to Section 205 (and related caps and independence rules) and messaging to presidents and senators as part of a league-wide push. While the ACC framed its role as representing 18 member institutions and not drafting language, the campaign tied Florida State’s leverage to the bill’s structure and potentially limited exit options for power programs, underscoring how conferences used federal legislation to impose national college-sports rules after legal setbacks.
Netflix, Amazon and YouTube formed the Streaming Access and Choice Alliance (SACA), a Washington, D.C.–based lobbying group led by TechNet to advocate for technology-neutral policies that encourage innovation, keep streaming costs reasonable, and support investment in live sports and other programming as streaming becomes central to sports viewership.
OpenAI has reportedly hired Jessica Schumer, Chuck Schumer’s daughter and former Amazon policy chief, to handle government outreach as Big Tech broadens ties with Democrats ahead of the 2026 midterms, part of a broader bipartisan effort to shape AI policy amid looming regulatory scrutiny.
A longtime Senate aide for Sen. Mike Rounds has quietly lobbied for Meta and other clients, prompting ethics concerns about conflicts of interest since he also works inside the senator’s office; records show he’s also associated with 605 Strategies and lists Meta among his clients, while Rounds has introduced AI-related bills that could affect those industries. Senate ethics guidance says there’s no conflict, but experts argue that outside lobbying by a staffer is inappropriate, and Meta says its contract ended after the 2026 session.
Electrek argues that the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, led by John Bozzella, is pressuring Congress to curb EV competition by pushing bills that would ban Chinese vehicles from US roads, despite existing barriers like a connected-car rule and tariffs; the piece asserts Chinese automakers are advancing EV tech while US automakers cling to gas-powered models, criticizes protectionism as harming consumers and the environment, and calls for embracing open competition and faster EV adoption rather than propping up lagging incumbents.
Reuters reports that JBS co-owner Joesley Batista met with President Trump on Aug. 20 to discuss lowering the 26% U.S. beef import tariff to help ease beef prices, a plan the Wall Street Journal says Trump floated the following day as a temporary tariff relief; Reuters could not immediately verify the WSJ account.