Chamber reports big drop in lobby spending

A spokesman for the Chamber said the drop in lobbying activity is typical for off-cycle years.

“The Chamber’s lobbying activity remained consistent with previous non-election years and resulted in a number of positive results for our members,” J.P. Fielder, the Chamber’s senior director of communications, said in a statement.

The Chamber spent $9.8 million on lobbying in the first quarter of 2008 and $10 million in 2009, which are in line with this year’s figure. The decline in lobbying work by the Chamber comes amid a rapprochement of sorts between the business community and the White House. President Obama has won praise from groups including the Chamber for pushing trade agreements, and he has made a point of trying to patch up what has been a strained relationship with business leaders.  

But despite the thaw in relations, Fielder said the Chamber would continue to fight parts of Obama’s healthcare law.

“Among the many issues we were engaged in, our efforts to repeal some of the most onerous provisions in the health care law has resulted in some early success and will continue,” Fielder said in a statement.