| | | | | |  | | By Caitlin Oprysko | | | With Daniel Lippman FOXX STEPS DOWN AS LYFT'S CHIEF POLICY OFFICER: Anthony Foxx, who served as Transportation secretary during the Obama administration, is stepping back from his role as chief policy officer at rideshare company Lyft . Foxx will be replaced by his deputy at the company, Jeremy Bird, who was the national field director for President Barack Obama's reelect. Prior to joining Lyft, Bird co-founded the political consulting firm 270 Strategies with fellow Obama alum Mitch Stewart. — Foxx will stay on as a senior adviser to the rideshare company, which is part of a cadre of other so-called gig companies that have bolstered their footprint in Washington in recent years, as the industry fights efforts at the state and federal levels to reclassify its drivers as employees rather than independent contractors. Lyft was part of a coalition of its peers that poured more than $200 million into a successful ballot initiative in California on the matter last fall. Though a state judge recently declared that law unconstitutional, gig companies are looking to use their success in California as a roadmap in other states. — In an interview, Bird noted that worker classification would continue to be a major focus of Lyft's advocacy for the foreseeable future, adding that Lyft is "engaged in some of the biggest issues facing our country at a pretty critical moment in our country's history and future." He said Lyft will continue to engage with policymakers, stakeholders and the public at both the federal level and local level to be "proactive" in pursuing "a solution that provides both the independence that drivers want and need, along with benefits that we believe are important to the future of work." The company, which has also lobbied on the transition to electric vehicles, will stay engaged on issues of sustainability, climate change and equity, Bird said. — Bird also said that he's eager to continue working with Foxx, whose leadership he praised and whom Bird called an "unbelievable mentor." In a statement, Foxx said that "it's the right time" to hand the reins over to Bird, which he said he was "thrilled" to do. "I worked hard to build the absolute best policy team in business," Foxx added. "That's really what I came to do, and I could not be more proud of our people or have more confidence in Lyft going forward. I can now feel good about transitioning the team while continuing to advise Lyft." — Bird will oversee a policy team that includes Jen Brandenburger, head of policy development and research; Jen Hensley, vice president and head of government relations; Heather Foster, head of national public engagement; Sara El-Amine, head of public engagement; and Caroline Samponaro, vice president and head of public policy for Lyft transit, bikes and scooters. Good afternoon and welcome to PI. Send lobbying tips: coprysko@politico.com. And be sure to follow me on Twitter: @caitlinoprysko. | | | | A message from Partnership for America's Health Care Future: American families deserve access to affordable, high-quality health coverage and care to help them get healthy and stay healthy. Let's build on and improve what's working in health care – not start over with an unaffordable, new government-controlled health insurance system like the public option or by opening up Medicare to younger Americans. Learn more. | | | MANUFACTURERS GO ON THE AIR TARGETING TAX HIKES: The National Association of Manufacturers has launched a new ad blitz targeting proposed tax increases as Democrats scramble to nail down pay-fors to fund the party's reconciliation bill and win the support of key moderates. The campaign is backed by a seven-figure nationwide TV ad buy that argues the party's proposed tax hikes would exacerbate existing supply chain shortages and rising consumer prices by weakening American manufacturers. "The last year showed why manufacturing is essential. We need to keep manufacturing in America strong," the ad's narrator says in the 30-second spot. AMAZON BACKS ANTI-COUNTERFEITS BILL: "Amazon is endorsing a House bill aimed at cracking down on the deluge of counterfeit goods plaguing its site and other online markets — a move that provides a significant boost to the legislation's prospects," POLITICO's Emily Birnbaum reports. — "While there are a few areas in the bill that could be refined to further minimize burdens on honest sellers, we believe this bill will help protect small businesses and consumers alike," Amazon's vice president of public policy, Brian Huseman, wrote in a blog post today. — The bill from Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), The INFORM Act, "would require online marketplaces like Amazon and eBay to collect and verify the identities of high-volume sellers — those who have made at least 200 sales in a year that are worth more than $5,000 altogether. It would also provide consumers with basic contact information for high-volume sellers on online marketplaces." — Amazon's endorsement marks a significant turnaround for the e-commerce giant, which along with other online marketplaces like eBay and Etsy has opposed similar legislation in states and in the Senate. Amazon has contended that the bills are "an effort by brick-and-mortar stores to hurt Amazon's business," while other e-commerce sites have cited privacy concerns for small sellers. — eBay and Etsy are part of a coalition of online marketplaces called the Protect America's Small Sellers — or PASS — Coalition, which endorsed the House version of the bill earlier this month after winning changes the group says provide "necessary protections for small sellers." A separate group opposing the bill, the Makers and Merchants Coalition , has continued to withhold its support, and did not respond to a request for comment from PI. The coalition's members are not public, but the group receives funding from the Internet Association, of which Amazon, Facebook and eBay are members. — "Huseman name-checked the proponents of the Senate bill in the blog post on Wednesday," Emily notes. "'Unfortunately, some big-box retailers like Walmart and Home Depot, and their respective lobbying groups, the Retail Industry Leaders Association and the Buy Safe America Coalition , have pushed legislation at the federal and state levels with the purported goal of preventing the online sale of counterfeit items and stolen goods,' Huseman wrote. 'We opposed those bills because they hurt honest sellers and do nothing to actually prevent fraud and abuse.'" — But Huseman pointed to one change in particular between the House and Senate bills that proved persuasive — that the House bill would preempt state efforts to pass similar anti-counterfeits legislation, which Huseman said prevents "an unworkable patchwork of state-level regulations." | | | | INTRODUCING CONGRESS MINUTES: Need to follow the action on Capitol Hill blow-by-blow? Check out Minutes, POLITICO's new platform that delivers the latest exclusives, twists and much more in real time. Get it on your desktop or download the POLITICO mobile app for iOS or Android. GET A FIRST LOOK AT CONGRESS MINUTES HERE. | | | | | FLYING IN: The Associated Equipment Distributors are hitting the Hill today with more than 50 owners and executives from top equipment distributors. The trade group will continue trying to get Democrats to ditch proposed tax hikes and at the same time push for lawmakers to pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill. Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), John Katko (R-N.Y.), Jodey Arrington (R-Texas), Fred Upton (R-Mich.), Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Young Kim (R-Calif.), Tom O'Halleran (D-Ariz.) and Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) have already addressed the group, and it also had meetings scheduled with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), and Reps. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.), Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.), Peter Meijer (R-Mich.), Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), Carlos Giménez (R-Fla.) and more. — And chronic disease patients and caregivers are holding a virtual fly-in today as part of the Patients Rising Now Patient Advocacy Day. The groups will meet with 49 offices as part of their push, including those of House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Sens. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.). Advocates will discuss several bills with lawmakers, including one that would improve so-called step therapy protocols, one that would give patients and advocates larger roles in FDA benefit-risk frameworks for drug approval, and one that would make changes to the way Medicare Advantage plans use prior authorization for health care. TIKTOK AND SNAP MAKE THEIR CONGRESSIONAL HOT SEAT DEBUTS: "TikTok, Snap and Google's YouTube are eager to show Congress that they're not the same as Facebook. But lawmakers had a message Tuesday: That's not enough," POLITICO's Alexandra Levine and Julia Arciga report. "'Being different from Facebook is not a defense,' Senate Commerce consumer protection Chair Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) told the witnesses at a hearing on protecting children online. 'That bar is in the gutter.' The youth-focused social media platforms now find themselves under the same microscope as their larger rival — facing a level of congressional scrutiny they have long avoided." — "In explaining the steps they are taking to protect children, each of the companies emphasized how their products differ from Facebook. 'Snapchat is different,' said the company's vice president of global public policy, Jennifer Stout. 'Snapchat was built as an antidote to social media.' She touted Snap's ephemerality and the fact that images are deleted by default. She also said that the app does not use algorithms to sort most content and noted the app does not have a 'like' button or comments 'because we don't think it should be a popularity contest.' All are features central to Facebook. TikTok Vice President Michael Beckerman said TikTok is 'not an app that people check to see what their friends are doing,' an apparent reference to Instagram." SEVEN LETTER ADDS 4, PROMOTES 3: Kris Fetterman has returned to Seven Letter as a director after serving stints at Melinda Gates' incubator Pivotal Ventures and with now-House Approps Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.). Madeline Reynolds is joining as a content specialist for strategic communications based in Boston; Erin Hill is joining as manager of operations and Anthony Thomas is joining as a content specialist at Seven Letter Insight. — Seven Letter has also promoted Catherine Adamchak, previously a chief of staff, to partner and head of finance and operations, and Allison Fastow, one of the firm's founding partners, to head of talent and engagement. Holly Jackson, a director, is taking on a leadership role with the firm's grassroots and grasstops advocacy practice. CORRECTION: Tuesday's Influence misidentified two lobbyists as currently representing Coinbase . The newsletter has been updated to show that they no longer work with the company. | | | | A message from Partnership for America's Health Care Future:   | | | | | | SPOTTED at a party on Tuesday night celebrating the opening of Ice Miller LLP's new D.C. office, per a tipster: Reps. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Greg Pence (R-Ind.), Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.), Jim Baird (R-Ind.), Trey Hollingsworth (R-Ind.) and Troy Balderson (R-Ohio.); Ice Miller's Lawren Mills and Bar Communications' Brad Rateike, Rebecca Pearcey of Bryson Gillette; Raul Alvillar of Resolute Public Affairs; Rodericka Applewhaite of the Michigan Democratic Party; FlexPoint Media's Kate Karnes Parnitzke; Marv McMoore of SKDK; Hillary Anderson of Catalist; former Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman; and Ice Miller's George Hornedo, Jarrod Loadholt, Tim Day and former Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio). — And at The U.S. Travel Association's reception Tuesday night at the Mellon Auditorium following the group's Future of Travel Mobility summit: Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.); Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), Carol Miller (R-W.Va.), William Timmons (R-S.C.), Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.) and Meijer; U.S. Travel President and CEO Roger Dow and Executive Vice President for public affairs Tori Emerson Barnes; and Heather Wingate, senior vice president for government affairs at Delta Air Lines. — Harlan Loeb and Brittany Mason are joining Argyle as executive vice president on the U.S. leadership team and director in the D.C. office, respectively. Loeb previously served as Edelman 's global chair for crisis and reputation risk for nearly a decade, and Mason most recently was a senior account supervisor at Edelman. — Patrick Atagi has been named president and CEO of the National Industrial Hemp Council. He currently serves on the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee on Cotton, Tobacco, Hemp and Peanuts at USDA. — Jai Ramaswamy is joining Andreessen Horowitz's crypto fund as its chief regulatory officer. Ramaswamy heads up risk compliance at crypto payments startup Celo, and is a Capital One and Bank of America alum and previously served as chief of DOJ's money laundering section. — Jeremy Nordquist will be president of the Nebraska Hospital Association. He currently serves as government affairs director at Nebraska Medicine and is a Tom O'Halleran and Brad Ashford alum. — The International Dairy Foods Association has promoted Colin Newman to chief of staff and Tracy Boyle to chief of people strategy. — Viji Rangaswami will become senior vice president and chief federal affairs officer at Liberty Mutual, replacing Colin Dowling. She was most recently vice president and international public affairs officer, and is a House Ways and Means and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace alum. — Kenneth Westberry has joined the Association for Accessible Medicines as senior manager of state government affairs. He was most recently senior manager of policy and government relations at STD Directors and is a U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform alum. | | | | BECOME A GLOBAL INSIDER: The world is more connected than ever. It has never been more essential to identify, unpack and analyze important news, trends and decisions shaping our future — and we've got you covered! Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Global Insider author Ryan Heath navigates the global news maze and connects you to power players and events changing our world. Don't miss out on this influential global community. Subscribe now. | | | | | | | | None. | | | Houchens PAC (PAC) | | New Lobbying Registrations | | Ballard Partners: Seminole Hard Rock Digital, LLC
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