BARBARA KLEIN:A lobby is a public area near the entrance of a building. It is also a public room next to the assembly room of a legislative body.
The verb "to lobby" first appeared in print in the United States in the eighteen thirties, according to a website about Washington. The term is believed to have started in the British Parliament. It meant the lobbies outside the houses of Parliament where deals took place.
STEVE EMBER: Lobbying is a major industry in Washington. A company or interest group often hires professional lobbyists to do the job.
Estimates for two thousand nine show that close to three and a half billion dollars was spent to influence Congress and the Executive Branch.
Much of the work is done by law firms that specialize in influencing the legislative process and rules enforcement. One of these law firms is Patton Boggs.
Nicholas Allard is a partner at the firm, and says lawyers play an important part in lobbying.
NICHOLAS ALLARD: "If laws are not drafted correctly, or if they’re not implemented in a fair way so that you have a common rule applied universally in similar situations, you have bad results and bad policy."
BARBARA KLEIN:
Ken Vogel is with the Politico newspaper in Washington. He says sometimes lawmakers follow the lead of the lobbyists.
KEN VOGEL: "Some cases, there are lobbying groups that are actually so successful and have so much influence they’re able to write bills, propose bills, for members of Congress. And these members of Congress will introduce them without changing a word of them."
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2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25