Chart: Federal lobbying expenditures
Tech companies are no longer shy about writing fat checks to lobbyists in Washington. Sort through the dollar figures.
Silicon money: How do tech firms buy influence in Washington?
Federal lobbying expenditures
March 27, 2006 4:00 AM PST
Money spent directly on lobbyists by tech and telecom firms has grown steadily since 2000. There was a blip in 1998 caused by Verizon Communications' massive spending.
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| Company | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | Total | Issues |
| Adobe Systems | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 317,232 | $317,232 | Inducing Infringement of Copyrights Act, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Fee Modernization Act, and identity management specifications for federal employees and contractors. Reauthorization of the Department of Homeland Security and defining its cybersecurity responsibilities. |
| Acxiom | n/a | n/a | 120,000 | 210,000 | 620,000 | 400,000 | 160,000 | $1,510,000 | Information transfers, airline security and homeland security issues. Online and offline privacy regulations, spam legislation, banking issues related to the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and the Fair Credit Reporting Act. |
| Amazon.com | n/a | n/a | 492,000 | 847,200 | 920,000 | 920,000 | 460,000 | $3,639,200 | Cybercrimes and hacking, online vs. offline privacy and an Internet tax moratorium. Tax on remote sales, business method patents and domain names. Free speech and First Amendment issues, product liability and spam. Digital-media rights, database protection and U.S. Postal Service reform. Network neutrality, broadband and cable proceedings and identity theft. Label tampering and counterfeiting. |
| Apple Computer | 180,000 | 180,000 | 360,000 | 500,000 | 520,000 | 513,008 | 660,000 | $2,913,008 | Funding for technology in education, Year 2000 Information and Readiness Disclosure Act and the global export of encrypted products. Standardization of securities litigation, an increased cap on H1-B visas and a moratorium on Internet taxes. Revamp of FCC E-rate program, free trade and no tariff for IT products, and electronic digital signatures. Technology integration, professional development and trade relations with China. No Child Left Behind Act, energy conservation, and research and development. Faith-based and Community Initiatives bill, class action fairness legislation and online privacy. Digital-media rights, Homeland Security Act and Can-Spam Act. U.S. Patent & Trademark Office Fee Modernization Act, Do-Not-Call Implementation Act, piracy deterrance and employee stock option plan rules. |
| AT&T | 7,740,000 | 7,620,000 | 4,160,000 | 8,260,000 | 6,720,000 | 6,700,000 | 8,849,499 | $50,049,499 | Various appropriations bills (defense, homeland security, commerce/science/justice). Digital Millenium Copyright Act, bankruptcy protection and child protection. USA Patriot Act, cybersecurity and Teleworking Advancement Act. Class action fairness, Troops Phone Home Act and VoIP Regulatory Freedom Act. Antispam legislation, illegal Internet gambling prohibition and Internet Tax Nondiscrimination Act. Broadband tax credits, Do-Not-Call Implementation Act, free trade and Universal Service equity. |
| ChoicePoint | 120,000 | 60,000 | 60,000 | 120,000 | 240,000 | 280,000 | 952,000 | $1,832,000 | Security issues, privacy and aviation. Patriot Act implementation, Social Security privacy legislation and DNA backlog legislation. Funding for private DNA labs and background checks for Department of Homeland Security employees. |
| Cisco Systems | 600,000 | 260,000 | 320,000 | 360,000 | 280,000 | 505,200 | 1,360,000 | $3,685,200 | E-Rate Tax Moratorium Act, regulation of telephony and encrpytion technologies. Research and development tax credit, spectrum reallocation and H-1B immigration. Broadband and VoIP legislation, workforce training and wireless regulation. CALEA requirements and implementation deadlines, e-government issues and stock option accounting reform. Tax breaks for U.S. manufacturers, Patent & Trademark Office funding and the Inducing Infringement of Copyrights Act. |
| Comcast | 440,000 | 480,000 | 620,000 | 810,000 | 2,480,000 | 2,400,000 | 3,240,000 | $10,470,000 | Multichannel video competition policy, high-definition and digital TV, and cable rate regulation. Program access, set-top boxes and retransmission of broadcast signals. Copyright liability for use of the Internet, broadband cable regulation, broadband tax credits and company acquisition of AT&T Broadband. |
| Computer Associates International | n/a | 80,000 | 60,000 | 100,000 | 185,000 | 140,000 | 100,000 | $665,000 | IT management, African and Asian trade issues, security and funding issues. |
| Dell | 240,000 | 340,000 | 440,000 | 320,000 | 520,000 | 1,048,000 | 1,470,000 | $4,378,000 | Securities Litigation Uniform Standards Act, Internet tax moratorium and Y2K Act. Online consumer issues, export controls and technology in education. Navy/Marine Corps Intranet program, IT appropriations and deregulation of Internet and high-speed data services. Digital content protection, broadband access and class action fairness legislation. Free trade, homeland investment and encryption issues related to computer exports. Chinese standards setting for wireless, Department of Homeland Security funding and US-Visit. National Computer Recycling Act, antispywarelegislation, VoIP Regulatory Freedom Act and Induce Act. |
| EarthLink | n/a | n/a | n/a | 120,000 | 360,000 | 360,000 | 360,000 | $1,200,000 | Broadband deployment and access, privacy and antispam legislation. Copyright and intellectual-property issues, security and law enforcement. Content liability issues, Internet taxation and media mergers. |
| eBay | n/a | n/a | 210,000 | 310,000 | 600,000 | 560,000 | 640,000 | $2,320,000 | "G-Bay" government auction sites, Internet tax moratorium and electronic signatures. Can-Spam Act, e-commerce legislation and security. Critical infrastructure protection, antitampering and methamphetamine antiproliferation. Privacy, bankruptcy reform and Internet prescription drug consumer protection. Technology education, Internet Gambling Prohibition Act and Social Security number misuse prevention. E-government, antispyware legislation and the Patriot Act. Fair Tax Act, free-trade promotion and digital-divide issues. Database protection, corporate-accounting reform and stock option reform. Digital Millenium Copyright Act, anticounterfeiting legislation and intellectual-property protection. Creation of Department of Homeland Security, Tobacco Free Internet for Kids Act and identity theft penalty enhancement. Piracy deterrance, digital-media rights and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Fee Modernization Act. VoIP Regulatory Freedom Act, Increase in H1-B visa cap and small-business issues. |
| EchoStar Communications | less than 10K | 1,120,000 | 60,000 | 460,000 | 1,520,000 | 580,000 | 1,300,000 | $5,040,000 | Copyright licensing for satellite retransmission of local signals, multichannel video competition and approval of merger with Hughes Electronics. Legislation improving loans and improved signals to rural areas, Emergency Communications and Competition Act and Commercial Spectrum Enhancement Act. |
| Electronic Arts | n/a | n/a | n/a | less than 10K | 20,000 | 40,000 | 40,000 | $100,000 | Piracy deterrance, anticounterfeiting legislation and strong copyright laws. |
| EMC | n/a | n/a | less than 10K | 160,000 | 400,000 | 920,000 | 1,000,000 | $2,480,000 | Funding for data storage infrastructure, and IT priorities for various federal departments and agencies. |
| n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 80,000 | 180,000 | $260,000 | Antispam and antispyware legislation, privacy and Internet gambling legislation. Internet taxation, FTC/FCC reauthorization and digital-rights management. Database protection, stock option expensing, and Fair Credit Reporting Act reauthoritzation. State Department reauthorization, Global Internet Freedom Act and Net neutrality. Online pharmacies, patent reform and anticounterfeiting. | |
| Hewlett-Packard | 603,510 | 282,879 | 460,000 | 480,000 | 620,000 | 660,000 | 940,000 | $4,046,389 | Encryption, government procurement policy and Y2K legislation. Securities litigation, product liability and Social Security reform. H1-B visa increase, general health care reform and patent reform. VoIP, bandwidth and CALEA. Spectrum management, R&D funding and copyright issues. Digital-signature legislation, Internet Tax Freedom Act and the Energy Star program. Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change, trade issues and USPTO funding. FCC rulemaking on broadcast flag, counterfeiting and digital-divide narrowing. Economic development, education funding, and EU directives on e-waste. Electronics recycling, e-commerce and cybersecurity. E-government, spousal equity, corporate antitrust matters and privacy. |
| Hitachi | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 160,000 | 160,000 | 80,000 | $400,000 | Free trade and airport security issues. |
| IBM | 5,312,000 | 6,140,000 | 4,680,000 | 4,970,000 | 5,050,000 | 7,160,000 | 6,540,000 | $39,852,000 | Digital signatures, electronic benefits transfers and Year 2000 bug preparation. E-commerce, product liability reform and ergonomics. Occupational safety, data privacy and patent reform. Education reform, work force development, public-utility and electricity issues. Energy efficiency legislation, federal procurement policy and health care. Fair-labor issues, Social Security reform and government-private sector R&D partnerships. Internet tax freedom, trade policy and Internet governance. National animal identification system, aviation security and Amtrak. US-Visit, Capitol Wireless Integrated Network, H1-B visa reform and VoIP Regulatory Freedom Act. |
| Intel | 1,100,000 | 960,000 | 2,080,000 | 6,380,000 | 7,100,000 | 6,910,000 | 5,390,000 | $29,920,000 | Encryption policy reform, export controls and trade with China. H1-B visa reforms, global climate change and Clean Air Act. Energy Star labeling program, cybersecurity and privacy. Education funding, investment tax credits for small and midsize business broadband deployment, and stock option plan transparency. Regulation of DSL, cable modem and IP telephony services and raising of computer security standards. National Science Foundation R&D grants, federal Medicare reimbursement for health care IT and federal incentives for electronic medical records. American Jobs Creation Act, the Induce Act and consumer labeling of digital music. Digital-television transition, broadband deregulation and Class Action Fairness Act. |
| Microsoft | 3,740,000 | 4,660,000 | 6,360,000 | 6,560,000 | 6,500,000 | 8,740,000 | 9,460,000 | $46,020,000 | Digital Millenium Copyright Act, patent reform and extension of R&D tax credit. Software piracy and counterfeiting, e-commerce and Child Protection and Sexual Predator Punishment Act. Cybersecurity, Council of Europe treaty ratification and the Patriot Act. Digital rights management, child safety issues and privacy. No Child Left Behind Act, Internet tax moratorium and USPTO Fee Modernization Act. Piracy deterrance, Can-Spam Act and Class Action Fairness Act. Internet Spyware Prevention Act, Email Privacy Act and High Performance Computing Revitalization Act. Working Families Tax Relief Act, American Jobs Creation Act (and related bills) and VoIP Regulatory Freedom Act. Broadcast flag and digital audio broadcasting policies, and intellectual-property provisions of free-trade agreements with foreign countries. |
| Motorola | 5,152,573 | 4,206,016 | 5,766,102 | 4,977,626 | 3,939,117 | 4,560,577 | 6,461,881 | $35,063,892 | Climate change, export control policy and defense surveillance programs. Securities litigation, uniform standards and H-1B visa reform. Patient's Bill of Rights, minimum wage and CALEA. Accessible telecommunications equipment for people with disabilities, wireless standards and emergency 911 liability protection issues. Spectrum management, product liability reform and Freedom from Religious Persecution Act. Depreciation of wireless and tech equipment, digital-rights management and No Child Left Behind Act. Driver's safety issues, funding for federal law enforcement and stock option accounting reform.State and local first-responders interoperability standards, free-trade agreements and DTV transition. Health care IT and pension stability legislation. |
| Novell | 570,000 | 500,000 | 500,000 | 161,000 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $1,731,000 | Y2K readiness, Government Paperwork Elimination Act and R&D tax credit extension. Internet tax moratorium, Digital Millenium Copyright Act and Microsoft antitrust case. Raising cap on high-skill worker visas, encryption, Securities Litigation Uniform Standards Act and Internet privacy. |
| RSA Security | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 60,000 | $60,000 | Elevation of cybersecurity position at the Department of Homeland Security and stock option accounting reform. |
| Red Hat | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 68,000 | $68,000 | Open-source software procurement, regulation, and research and intellectual-property protection. |
| Oracle | 1,900,000 | 2,280,000 | 2,180,000 | 2,270,000 | 2,586,113 | 1,533,738 | 2,730,000 | $15,479,851 | Digital Millenium Copyright Act, patent reform and R&D tax credit extension. Internet tax moratorium, work force improvement and securities litigation. Uniform standards, network security and electronic privacy. E-government legislation, cybersecurity and free trade. Broadband deployment, technology education and training, and competitiveness in the software industry. Exports, security breach legislation and health technology. USPTO Fee Modernization Act, stock option accounting reform, H1-B visa reform and Department of Homeland Security authorization. |
| SAP | n/a | n/a | n/a | 130,000 | 240,000 | 620,000 | 1,160,000 | $2,150,000 | Privacy, global technology issues and education. E-government initiatives, Department of Defense appropriations and software security. Department of Homeland Security information systems architecture, American Jobs Creation Act and technology research funding. |
| SBC Communications (now AT&T) | 5,280,000 | 9,440,000 | 7,208,000 | 7,003,395 | 6,341,334 | 5,204,064 | 8,008,338 | $48,485,131 | Digital Millenium Copyright Act, antipiracy legislation and multichannel video competition. Patients' Bill of Rights Act, health care reform and CALEA clarification. Antitrust and merger issues, Internet gambling ban and wireless privacy protection. Internet tax moratorium, telecommunications and broadband competition measures. E-commerce, privacy and E-Rate program. Y2K readiness, Patriot Act electronic-surveillance provisions and extension of R&D tax credit. Identity and Social Security number theft, Family and Medical Leave Clarification Act, and repeal of telephone excise tax. Rural broadband deployment, spam and appropriations bills. Spectrum allocation, National Do Not Call Registry and copyright issues. Corporate accounting reform, federal procurement policy and Medicare prescription reform. Campaign finance reform and IRS code reforms. |
| Siebel Systems | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 620,000 | 880,000 | 380,000 | $1,880,000 | Stock options, homeland security and software procurement. |
| Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International | 280,000 | 280,000 | 280,000 | 280,000 | 380,000 | 480,000 | 440,000 | $2,420,000 | Year 2000 bug preparation, securities litigation uniform standards and work force improvement. Export controls, trade with China and R&D tax credit extension. Stock option accounting reform, National Science Foundation funding and H1-B visa reform. |
| Siemens | 80,000 | less than 10K | less than 10K | 680,000 | 1,680,000 | 1,680,000 | 1,680,000 | $5,800,000 | General trade issues, Medicare reimbursement and FDA reform. Public-health preparedness against bioterrorism, Internet privacy and broadband deployment. Spectrum management, teleworking and energy policy. Federal procurement and appropriations, high-speed rail bond bill, and electricity transmission and distribution. |
| Silicon Graphics Inc. | 150,000 | 370,000 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $520,000 | Energy and Department of Defense appropriations. |
| Sun Microsystems | 1,180,000 | 1,160,000 | 1,140,000 | 1,140,000 | 840,000 | 920,000 | 680,000 | $7,060,000 | Digital Millenium Copyright Act, antipiracy and Energy Star computer specifications. Encryption, Internet privacy and No Child Left Behind Act. Patriot Act, cybersecurity research and development, and Internet tax moratorium. Permanent R&D tax credit extension, trade promotion and export control reform. Stock option accounting reform, Induce act and USPTO Fee Modernization Act. Spyware prevention, immigration reform and homeland investment. |
| Sybase | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | less than 10K | $0 | Government software use, U.S. competitiveness in tech industry and international trade policy. |
| Symantec | n/a | n/a | n/a | 81,000 | 193,000 | 280,000 | 355,500 | $909,500 | Cybersecurity research and development, stock option accounting reform and intellectual property. R&D funding, spam and common-criteria security standards. Software procurement, spyware, class action reform and software development methods. |
| Time Warner | 1,020,000 | 1,360,000 | 1,820,000 | 3,500,000 | 3,100,000 | 4,100,000 | 4,020,000 | $18,920,000 | Child Online Protection Act, Internet gambling and privacy protection. Encryption, digital copyright enhancement and Children Protection and Sexual Predator Punishment Act. Internet tax moratorium, movie and TV production tax incentives and No Child Left Behind Act. Patriot Act, Children's Protection from Violent Programming Act and U.S. Postal Service reform. Free-trade agreements, prescription drug and Medicare improvement, and VoIP Regulatory Freedom Act. Satellite home viewer issues, USPTO Fee Modernization Act and piracy deterrance. Copyright protection technologies, National Do Not Call Registry, and Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Act. Antispam legislation and stock option accounting reform. |
| Unisys | 760,000 | 920,000 | 820,000 | 960,000 | 1,000,000 | 1,160,000 | 1,100,000 | $6,720,000 | Internet tax, export controls and encryption. Bilateral trade agreements, H1-B visa reform and patent reform. R&D tax credit extension, Internet privacy and digital rights management. CAFTA and stock options accounting reform. |
| Verizon Communications | 21,260,000 | 4,880,000 | 6,360,000 | 6,660,000 | 6,460,000 | 7,060,000 | 6,300,000 | $58,980,000 | Nondiscrimination in the workplace, Y2K readiness and security. Encryption, e-commerce promotion and antipiracy. Patients' Bill of Rights, Family Medical Leave Clarification Act and child protection legislation. Telephone excise tax repeal, online privacy protection and spam. No Child Left Behind Act, Internet tax moratorium and rural broadband. Universal service, broadband access and competition, and the Patriot Act. Free-trade promotion, Can-Spam Act and spyware prevention. Prescription drug and Medicare improvement, homeland investment and VoIP Regulatory Freedom Act. Do-Not-Call Implementation Act and e911. |
| Viacom | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 | 1,250,000 | 1,400,000 | $7,650,000 | Multichannel video-programming competition, digital TV and limits on copyright liability online. Music-licensing reform, Electronic Privacy Bill of Rights Act and child protection legislation (violent programming and online privacy). Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act, election reform and pension protection. Spyware, consumer online privacy protections and piracy deterrance. National Film Preservation Act, Maintaining and Ensuring Diversity and Integrity on the Airwaves Act, and broadcast decency legislation. Film industry tax incentives, home satellite legislation, Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act and free-trade legislation. |
| Vonage Holdings | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 250,000 | $250,000 | VoIP Regulatory Freedom Act, Advanced Internet Communications Services Act and other matters related to broadband Internet regulation. |
| Yahoo | less than 10K | 140,000 | 220,000 | 300,000 | 1,300,000 | 1,600,000 | 1,600,000 | $5,160,000 | Internet gambling, online privacy and cybersecurity. Spam, database protection and business method patents reform. Online-music licensing reform, peer-to-peer file sharing, as it relates to Internet messaging services, and Internet taxation. Digital rights management, intellectual-property treatment in foreign treaties and spyware. Online drug sales legislation, Net neutrality, ISP liability issues and Internet sales tax for remote sellers. |
| Total | $58,708,083 | $48,718,895 | $47,776,102 | $60,110,221 | $64,494,564 | $70,404,587 | $80,192,450 |
Source: U.S. Senate Office of Public Records, Federal Lobbyist Registration
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