U.S. Chamber of Commerce: $10 million for lobbying in 1Q 2009, including twelve lobbyists on immigration

The US Chamber of Commerce spent almost $10 million on lobbying in the first quarter of 2009 for all issues combined. The Associated Press enumerates the issues here:

The government's $700 billion financial rescue package and Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP, were among the high-profile issues the Chamber lobbied on during the first quarter... The group also lobbied on: union organizing, wage discrimination, the children's health insurance program, transportation and port infrastructure, travel restrictions to Cuba, pension security, medical liability reform, greenhouse gas standards, health care and immigration reform... Other issues included attorney-client privilege, cross-border trucking, cargo screening, intellectual property rights enforcement, medical product safety, environmental permitting and visas for temporary workers.

How much they spent on each issue doesn't appear to be available, but the reports they filed with the government are at this page. They don't appear to have spent anything on the Essential Worker Immigration Coalition, but they had no less than twelve lobbyists listed as handling immigration including their president Tom Donohue and executive VP Bruce Josten. In addition to just general lobbying for comprehensive immigration reform, they also list the following bills from the 110th Congress that haven't yet been re-introduced in the 111th as well as various rules. Looking into their positions on the more obscure ones is left as an exercise:

* Secure America Through Verification and Enforcement Act
* New Employee Verification Act
* Securing Knowledge, Innovation and Leadership Act
* Illegal Immigration Enforcement and Social Security Protection Act
* H-1B and L1 Visa Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act
* Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy Act
* Save our Small and Seasonal Business Act
* Protecting American Commerce and Travel Act
* Merida Initiative
* E-Verify Extension and Expansion Act
* Putting Our Resources Towards Security (PORTS) Act
* Strengthening Communities Through Education and Integration
* DOL H-2B temporary worker proposed rule RIN 1205AB54
* Rule mandating government contractors to use the basic pilot program (or E-Verify) FAR Case 2007013
* Supplemental Proposed Rule on "Safe-Harbor Procedures for Employers Who Receive a No-Match Letter" DHS Docket No. ICEB-2006-OO04
* DHS proposed rule on H-2B seasonal worker visas Docket No. USCIS-2007-0058 RIN 1615-AB67

Fri, 05/15/2009 - 12:07 · · Importance: 4