| | | | | |  | | By Caitlin Oprysko | Presented by Save Our Standards | With Daniel Lippman TRAVEL INDUSTRY ASKS FOR FEDERAL AID: More than 600 travel organizations in every state and multiple U.S. territories signed on to a letter today asking lawmakers to include the travel industry in any further Covid assistance it doles out to other industries lobbying for pandemic aid, like restaurants, gyms and live entertainment venues. — "The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the travel industry, costing the industry over $730 billion in lost spending since the start of the pandemic," the groups, led by the U.S. Travel Association , wrote in a letter to congressional leadership this afternoon, urging members to "swiftly enact federal policies" to help the industry recover from over a year of border closures and other travel restrictions due to the virus. — The number of signatories on the letter serves as "a clear signal of the needs of this industry from coast to coast," Tori Barnes , the trade group's top lobbyist, told reporters on a call today, arguing that the travel industry should be included in any further assistance or targeted grant programs Congress provides restaurants, venues, gyms, minor league teams, hotels or border businesses. — The letter warns that without federal help, domestic business travel and international travel spending in the U.S. may not rebound to its pre-pandemic levels until 2024. It calls for lawmakers to offer tax credits or relief to "stimulate spending and quicken the pace of recovery for business travel, conferences, live entertainment, the arts, minor league sports, and other in-person events," as well as a transfer of $250 million to Brand USA to boost inbound international travel. — The industry also asks lawmakers to expand eligibility for targeted grant programs for restaurants and venues, or create a similar program "for travel-dependent businesses severely impaired by COVID-19 restrictions — including hotels, event planners, group tour operators, attractions, travel advisors and many others." On the call with reporters, Barnes did not offer a preferred dollar amount but argued that "there should not be … you know, help just for one part of the travel economy, if you will." SEVEN FAEGRE DRINKER LOBBYISTS DECAMP FOR VENABLE: Over half a dozen health care lobbyists from Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath and its District Policy Group have departed the firm to join Venable as it builds out its health care policy arsenal. Jodie Curtis, Debbie Forrest, Laura Hanen, Julie Hyams, Jennifer Taylor McBride, Ilisa Halpern Paul and Jim Twaddell are all making the jump to Venable's legislative and government affairs practice after, in some cases, nearly two decades at Faegre Drinker. — The group is expected to bring clients with them — Paul noted in a statement that "we are excited to have our clients benefit from our new colleagues' policymaking prowess and deep relationships on the Hill and with the Administration" — though it is not clear which as of yet. The roster of clients for whom they lobbied at Faegre Drinker includes GlaxoSmithKline, the Spina Bifida Association, the Ochsner Health Care System, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Advocate Aurora Health and more. Good afternoon and welcome to PI. Send tips: coprysko@politico.com. And be sure to follow me on Twitter: @caitlinoprysko. | | A message from Save Our Standards: Technical standards like 5G and Wi-Fi have the power to transform industries, fuel the economy, and create high-quality jobs. But that only happens if owners of patents essential to standards honor their commitments to license all innovators to use those patents on fair and reasonable terms. A new draft Administration statement restores the balance vital to standards adoption and job creation. Support the Administration to promote American manufacturing and limit product bans on standard-essential patents. | | | VAN SCOYOC TAPS NEW PRESIDENT, COO: Van Scoyoc Associates will name Jennifer LaTourette president and chief operating officer of the bipartisan lobbying firm. LaTourette has been with Van Scoyoc off and on since leaving the Hill in 2003, spending a decade at the firm before leaving in 2012 to open McDonald Hopkins Government Strategies with her late husband, former Rep. Steve LaTourette. She returned to Van Scoyoc in 2017. Stu Van Scoyoc, the firm's founder, will retain the role of chief executive officer. — "I'm really excited and honored to be taking a leadership role at VSA," LaTourette said in an interview. "It's one of the oldest and most respected, successful firms in D.C., and I care deeply about the firm and my colleagues and our clients." — LaTourette acknowledged that lobbying during a pandemic "has been the most exhausting couple of years, possibly, of our careers, in that it has been a 24/7 workflow" and has placed a premium on agility now more than ever. "I think the ability to both design and … revisit proactive and reactive plans for our clients … has really become a skill that's needed more now than ever because it's less predictable, I think, than it ever was," LaTourette said. Still, Van Scoyoc was able to grow its team and client list during the last two years, and "our challenge for the years ahead is to figure out the best ways to capitalize on that growth going forward," she said. ANNALS OF CAMPAIGN FINANCE: "The Supreme Court sounded skeptical Wednesday about the constitutionality of limits on federal candidates' ability to tap donors to repay loans election hopefuls make to their own campaigns, but there was little sign that the justices intend to transform the pending case into a broadside at campaign finance law," our Josh Gerstein and Zach Montellaro write. — "Some conservatives had hoped to use Sen. Ted Cruz's (R-Texas) lawsuit over the relatively obscure debt-repayment limit as a means to totally eradicate the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2001, the landmark law better known as McCain-Feingold that added significant new guardrails to the nation's campaign finance system." — "Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell — a longtime opponent of the law — urged the court to throw out the entirety of BCRA and not just the provisions limiting the post-election repayment of loans, with Cruz's lawsuit. … McConnell brought one of the earliest challenges to the law, with the Supreme Court ultimately largely upholding key provisions of it in 2003. But the justices almost entirely avoided a discussion about the broader constitutionality of BCRA during Wednesday's arguments on Cruz's case." — "The only hint of broader consequences from the case came from Justice Clarence Thomas, who at one point asked if the impact of news outlets crusading for or against candidates might be at least as significant as modest donations to campaigns. But no other justices pursued that line of questioning." KNOWING KEVIN MCCARTHY: "House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy once said that his vision was to have government as innovative as Google, customer-centric as Apple, and as quick as Amazon.' Now, he's the man charged with leading the GOP's battle against Big Tech — a position that will become particularly important if his party wins back the House and he becomes speaker next year," POLITICO's Emily Birnbaum and Hailey Fuchs report. — McCarthy "put out a policy framework last year to 'stop the bias and check big tech,' laying out a plan to rein in giants like Google and Amazon if Republicans regain power." But "some Silicon Valley lobbyists are skeptical that McCarthy would actually enact policies that hurt their companies. After all, the California lawmaker spent years distinguishing himself as their top advocate among congressional Republicans. They say he still maintains that friendliness behind closed doors." — "'He generally is more measured in private conversations with the companies,' said Katie Harbath, who worked at Facebook for more than a decade after joining as the first Republican employee in the company's Washington, D.C., office. Harbath left Facebook late last year. She said, off camera or out of earshot, McCarthy acknowledges that he rails against Big Tech due to pressure from his fellow members. 'But at the end of the day, I think he understands more than most that Facebook's got to do what they've got to do, and he's got to do what he's got to do, and it's all part of the political game of Washington,' Harbath said." | | | | STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president's ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today. | | | | | SPEAKING OF BIG TECH: Ahead of Thursday's markup of bipartisan antitrust legislation taking aim at dominant tech platforms like Amazon and Google, the companies — as well as their detractors — are ramping up their lobbying efforts around the bill, the Wall Street Journal's Brody Mullins and Ryan Tracy report. — "In an ad campaign dubbed 'Don't Break What Works,' that is set to begin Wednesday, the Computer and Communications Industry Association will target the anti-tech efforts, including one sponsored by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D., Minn.) and Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa). The industry group represents companies including Amazon, Google, Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc., Apple Inc. and other tech firms." — "The industry ads will run in Washington at first and later in the home states of the senators on the Judiciary Committee and elsewhere, according to consultants involved, who said the trade group is prepared to spend several million dollars on the campaign depending on how long the legislative battle goes on." CONSULTANCIES RAKE IN MONEY FROM CAMPAIGN COFFERS… AND TAXPAYERS: "Members of Congress are turning to the same political consultants who got them elected to blast out taxpayer-funded communications from their government offices," Axios' Lachlan Markay reports. — "While those members are barred from politicking with official funds, the firms have expertise in boosting elected officials' images for political gain and are in high demand for both campaign and government work. Since 2016, at least 251 current and former House members have used their congressional office budgets to pay vendors that have also worked for their campaigns, according to an Axios analysis of congressional disbursement and campaign finance records." — "Some consulting firms have even triple-dipped: they worked for members' official offices, their campaigns and independent political spenders — including PACs — that worked to get those members elected. Together, the 100-plus firms operating on both sides of the official/political divide have pulled in nearly $39 million in taxpayer funds from the congressional offices of members they helped elect, the records show." FORMER DEA CHIEF, DRUG CZAR FORM REGULATORY DEFENSE PRACTICE: Uttam Dhillon, the former acting head of the DEA, and Jim Carroll, the former White House drug czar, have joined Michael Best & Friedrich to launch a new law practice group and consulting group focused on government regulation, congressional and internal investigations, white collar criminal defense, regulatory compliance and risk management, and congressional oversight. — The consulting group will also provide government affairs, regulatory advice, marketing strategy and consulting services to clients across a variety of industries, according to the firm, including pharmaceuticals and health care. CORRECTION: Tuesday's Influence misidentified the governmental structure of Taiwan, as well as other countries' recognition of the island's sovereignty. PI regrets the error. | | | | A message from Save Our Standards:   | | | | | | — Shannon Hines is joining Textron as senior vice president for government affairs and Washington operations. She was most recently GOP staff director on the Senate Appropriations Committee. — Al Cardenas has joined the insurance industry-focused lobbying shop NTG Consultants as chair of its board of advisers. He was most recently a senior partner at Squire Patton Boggs and previously led CPAC and the Florida GOP. — The Managed Funds Association has added Matthew Daigler as vice president and senior counsel for regulatory affairs. He was most recently vice president and senior counsel in the Office of Innovation Policy and Regulation at the American Bankers Association and is a CFTC alum. — Eric Sildon will be vice president of U.S. state and local government affairs at the software company SAP. He previously was at Connected DMV and is an Accenture alum. The company also added Anjelica Dortch and Aaron Wasserman as senior directors of U.S. government affairs, focusing on cloud, cybersecurity and appropriations, and procurement and acquisition issues respectively. Dortch was previously in IBM 's government and regulatory affairs shop and Wasserman previously worked at the Naval Sea Systems Command. — Former Rep. Luke Messer (R-Ind.) has been named president of the Invest in Education Coalition. — Robert Friedman is now a partner in Holland & Knight's international trade practice. He was previously a partner with Harris, Wiltshire & Grannis, and is a State Department alum. — Jenna Dresner is now senior campaign strategist at Citizen Data. She most recently was deputy communications director for the California secretary of state, and is a Mercury alum. — Matt Devino is joining the Association of Community Cancer Centers as director for cancer care delivery and health policy. He was most recently associate director of government affairs for the Medical Group Management Association. — Ryan Shay is now director of government and regulatory affairs at Faegre Drinker. He most recently was legislative director for Rep. Susie Lee (D-Nev.). — Fred Fielding has joined the newly named Ellis George Cipollone as of counsel. He previously served as White House counsel to presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. — Liza Romanow has been hired as executive communications lead at Ralph Lauren . She most recently was director of comms to the chair at Albright Stonebridge Group. — Uber is adding Erin Reif as senior manager for federal affairs and Punya Krishnappa as manager for federal campaigns. Reif is a Hill veteran who most recently was a senior policy adviser to Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.). Krishnappa most recently was a senior strategist for Mike Rosenbaum's Maryland gubernatorial campaign, and is a DCCC alum. — Rishi Bharwani is rejoining the Hub Project as the new chief of staff. He most recently was director of partnerships and policy at Accountable Tech, and is a Cory Booker alum. — Dow Inc. Chair and CEO Jim Fitterling has been named chair of the National Association of Manufacturers' board of directors, and Johnson & Johnson executive vice president and chief global supply chain officer Kathy Wengel has been named vice chair. — Melissa Harrison is now senior director of policy and executive comms at the Consumer Technology Association. She most recently was a senior vice president at Ogilvy. — Preston Beard is now director of policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Global Energy Institute. He most recently was senior adviser to the director of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement at the Department of Interior in the Trump administration. | | | | 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. | | | | | | | | NewDem Fund for the Future (Rep. Sean Casten, New Democrat Coalition Action Fund)
Vermont Senate Victory Fund (Rep. Peter Welch, Maple PAC, Vermont Democratic Party) | | | 4 Tour PAC (Leadership PAC: Jesse Jensen)
Bergen Republican Leadership Team (PAC)
Cap Montana Property Taxes (PAC)
The Consortium of Returning Citizens (Super PAC)
Protect Our Future PAC (Hybrid PAC)
Republican Election Committee (Super PAC) | | New Lobbying Registrations | | 38 North Solutions, LLC: Firstlight Power
American Firearms Association: American Firearms Association
Arent Fox LLP: Horton'S Kids, Inc.
Ats Communications, Inc.: Systima Technologies, Inc.
Bose Public Affairs Group: G2 Strategies (On Behalf Of Bosma Enterprises)
Bose Public Affairs Group: Invest In Education Coalition
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Lotus Concepts Management Corp.
Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies: Binswanger Management Corporation
Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies: Lending Club
Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies: Pennsylvnia Assistive Technology Foundation
Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies: The Stomp Company
Efb Advocacy, LLC: Holt International
Farragut Partners LLP: U.S. Women'S Health Alliance
Guidepoststrategies, LLC: Sante USa
Gusto: Gusto
Hannegan Landau Poersch & Rosenbaum Advocacy, LLC: Damn The Torpedoes, LLC
K&L Gates, LLP: Ashley Addiction Treatment
Mcguirewoods Consulting (A Subsidiary Of Mcguirewoods LLP): Relx, Inc.
Michael Best Strategies LLC: Guardian Access & Door Hardware
Michael Best Strategies LLC: Hd Machinery
Michael Best Strategies LLC: Ultratec
Pioneer Public Affairs: Breakthrough Energy Action
Protect Democracy Project: Protect Democracy Project
Republic Consultants, LLC: Knds - Kmw + Nexter Defense Systems
Spirit Rock Consulting: Pit River Tribe
Sternhell Group: Dapper Labs Inc.
Sternhell Group: Gemini Trust Company, LLC
Strategies 360: County Of Maui, Hawaii
Strategies 360: New Ways To Work
The Campbell Consulting Group: Tobaccoville USa, Inc.
The Prenda Group LLC: Puget Sound Aggregates, LLC
The Vogel Group: A. O. Smith Corporation
The Vogel Group: International Union Of Painters And Allied Trades
The Vogel Group: Jea
The Vogel Group: Sharps Technology, Inc. | | New Lobbying Terminations | | A1.9 Strategies LLC: O'Brien, Gentry, & Scott LLC Obo Bounce Imaging
Arent Fox LLP: Atr Electronics, Inc.
Arent Fox LLP: Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association
Arent Fox LLP: Fortera Corporation
Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz /The Daschle Group: High Octane Low Carbon (Holc) Alliance
Balch & Bingham, LLP: Hy Stor Energy Lp
Bracewell LLP: Growth Energy
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Activcare Living, Inc.
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Alaris Strategies Obo R-Pace Providers Coalition
Butzel Long, P.C.: Rpb Safety
Capitol Counsel LLC: Electronic Funds Transfer Association
Capitol Hill Policy Group LLC: State Of Maine-Department Of Marine Resources
Capitol Integration: Ceebus Technologies
Capitol Integration: Picogrid
Capitol Integration: Rcrane
Cassidy & Associates, Inc.: Chamber Of Commerce Hawaii/ Military Affairs Council
Cassidy & Associates, Inc.: Forcepoint
Cornerstone Government Affairs, Inc.: Agustawestland Philadelphia Corporation
Cornerstone Government Affairs, Inc.: Runx1 Research Program
Cornerstone Government Affairs, Inc.: Torch Research LLC
Covington & Burling LLP: Muqbel Mosazei
Crossroads Strategies, LLC: Orchard Therapeutics North America
Crossroads Strategies, LLC: Travere Therapeutics
Crossroads Strategies, LLC: Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc.
David Turch & Assoc.: City Of Stockton, California
David Turch & Assoc.: Sherburne County, Minnesota
Dc Legislative And Regulatory Services, Inc.: Vita Inclinata Technologies, Inc.
Dentons US LLP: Lg Chem Michigan, Inc.
Dentons US LLP: The Guidry Group
Desimone Consulting, LLC: Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund
Diroma Eck & Co. LLP: National Infrastructure Campaign, Inc.
Dotchin & Associates, LLC: Cbt Nuggets
Dotchin & Associates, LLC: Emergent Biosolutions
Duane Morris Government Strategies: Immunome Inc.
Fgh Holdings, LLC (Formerly Known As The Glover Park Group LLC): Bway Corporation
Fgh Holdings, LLC (Formerly Known As The Glover Park Group LLC): Trafigura Trading LLC
Foley & Lardner LLP: Cabot Cabot & Forbes Development Co
Foley & Lardner LLP: Canadian National Railway
Foley & Lardner LLP: Paladin Protective Equipment, LLC D/B/A American Papr, LLC
Foley & Lardner LLP: Shine Medical Technologies
Foley & Lardner LLP: Shoreland Inc
Foley & Lardner LLP: Smartpower
Foley & Lardner LLP: University Of St Augustine For Health Sciences
Forbes-Tate: True Velocity
Forbes-Tate: University Of Southern California
Gotham Government Relations: Institute For Gulf Affairs
Hannegan Landau Poersch & Rosenbaum Advocacy, LLC: Alloy Property Company, LLC
Hannegan Landau Poersch & Rosenbaum Advocacy, LLC: Haas, Incorporated
Hettinger Strategy Group LLC: Okta, Inc.
Hettinger Strategy Group LLC: Unison (F K A Fedbid Inc )
Hobart Hallaway & Quayle Ventures, LLC: Bailey & Glasser LLP On Behalf Of Caliber Midstream Holdings, Lp
Hobart Hallaway & Quayle Ventures, LLC: Taxpayer Protection Alliance
Hooper, Lundy & Bookman, P.C.: Consumer Technology Association
Invariant LLC: Uber Technologies Inc.
J.A. Green And Company: Gartner, Inc.
J.A. Green And Company: Mark Barnes And Associates On Behalf Of Dillon Aero
J.A. Green And Company: T-Worx Technologies
Jeffrey J. Kimbell And Associates: Acadia Healthcare, Inc.
K&L Gates, LLP: Axiom Space, Inc.
K&L Gates, LLP: Clark Street Associates On Behalf Of Bright Machines
K&L Gates, LLP: Compass Group USa, Inc.
K&L Gates, LLP: Cumberland County Hospital System D/B/A Cape Fear Valley Health System
K&L Gates, LLP: Disability Benefits Deadline Initiative
K&L Gates, LLP: Grit Energy Services, LLC
K&L Gates, LLP: John Lefas
K&L Gates, LLP: Michael L. Taylor
K&L Gates, LLP: Sixteen Thirty Fund
K&L Gates, LLP: Topical Bio Medics Inc.
Kyle House Group: Care Action Now, Inc
Leavitt Partners, LLC: The Compounding Quality Coalition
Lobbyit.Com: Association Of Lighting And Mercury Recyclers
Lobbyit.Com: Docbox, Inc.
Lobbyit.Com: National Association Of Bail Agents
Lobbyit.Com: National Wooden Pallet And Container Association
Lobbyit.Com: United Hmong Vision, Inc.
Mayer Brown LLP: The Economic Innovation Group
Maynor LLC: Davidson Technologies, Inc
Mcallister & Quinn, LLC: Applied Materials, Inc.
Mcguirewoods Consulting (A Subsidiary Of Mcguirewoods LLP): Albert J. Dwoskin
Mcguirewoods Consulting (A Subsidiary Of Mcguirewoods LLP): Pittsburgh Aviation Animal Rescue Team (Paart)
Mcguirewoods Consulting (A Subsidiary Of Mcguirewoods LLP): Powerdms
Michael Best Strategies LLC: Caneel Purpose Group
Michael Best Strategies LLC: Chenoa Fund
Michael Best Strategies LLC: Consumer Data Industry Association
Michael Best Strategies LLC: Housecanary, Inc.
Michael Best Strategies LLC: Lifecare
Michael Best Strategies LLC: Mr. Cooper Inc.
Michael Best Strategies LLC: The Alliance
Michael Best Strategies LLC: Vaxxinity Formerly Known As Covaxx
Morrissey Strategic Partners, LLC: Six Ideas Before Breakfast, LLC
Mr. Joe Miklosi: Ethiopian American Civic Council (Eacc)
Nexa Strategies, LLC: Dotchin & Associates On Behalf Of Emergent Biosolutions
Nossaman LLP: Fluxergy, LLC
Ogilvy Government Relations: American Association Of Consumer Credit Professionals
Ogilvy Government Relations: Cnx Resources Corporation
Ogilvy Government Relations: Weavr Health
Payne Shea & Associates: City Of Chesapeake, Virginia
Peter Damon Group LLC: American Petroleum Institute
Polsinelli Pc: American Association Of Colleges Of Nursing
Polsinelli Pc: American Association Of Nurse Anesthetists
Polsinelli Pc: American Association Of Nurse Practitioners
Polsinelli Pc: American Nurses Association
Polsinelli Pc: American Society For Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics
Polsinelli Pc: American Society Of Hand Therapists
Polsinelli Pc: Foundation For Advancing Alcohol Responsibility (Fka The Century Council)
Polsinelli Pc: Naadac, The Association For Addiction Professionals
Polsinelli Pc: National Association Of Social Workers
Polsinelli Pc: Wallace Environmental Consulting, Inc.
Polsinelli Pc: Western Michigan University
Porterfield, Fettig & Sears, LLC: Brex Inc.
Prime Policy Group: Four Winds LLC
Prime Policy Group: Ipc
Prime Policy Group: Jose E. Rossi
Strategic Federal Affairs: Orion Township
Strategic Marketing Innovations: Codagenix
Tai Ginsberg & Associates, LLC: Village Of Crestwood
The Joseph Group, LLC: Ark Multicasting
The Livingston Group, L.L.C.: Fortior Solutions
The Livingston Group, L.L.C.: Greater America LLC (On Behalf Of City Of Palmdale)
Tiber Creek Group: Rekor Systems, Inc.
Timothy Lovain: Whatcom Transportation Authority
Urban Swirski & Associates, LLC: Generosity Commission
Van Scoyoc Associates: Center For Science In The Public Interest
Van Scoyoc Associates: Restoration Systems, LLC
Vox Global: Gleif Americas | | A message from Save Our Standards: Support US Jobs. Stop SEP Abuse.
A new draft policy statement on standard-essential patents (SEPs) committed for licensing on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms was released jointly by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Department of Justice. The draft statement provides guidance on appropriate remedies in cases involving the use of these patents, and presents an approach to SEPs that strives to balance the interests of patent holders with the broad range of U.S. industries that use standards to protect the future of innovation.
Save Our Standards is a broad-based coalition working to end abusive practices in SEP licensing. We welcome the draft statement and support the Biden Administration for their leadership protecting U.S. competitiveness in charting out this balanced approach. Comments are being accepted through February 4. Support the Biden Administration to stop SEP abuse. | | | | | | | Follow us | | | | |
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