Chamber’s lobbying spending hits $35M amid immigration push

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce spent more than $35 million on lobbying activities in the first half of 2013, according to data made public on Monday. 

The total from Washington’s largest business lobby includes $10.1 million of spending in the first quarter of 2013 and $14 million in the second quarter, which ended on June 30, as well as spending by the Chamber’s affiliated legal institute.

The overall tally for the Chamber is a $20 million drop from the first half 2012, an election year when the organization spent heavily on congressional ads. At this point last year, the Chamber had spent $55 million on lobbying activities.

Unlike most other groups, the Chamber uses the IRS method to calculate its lobbying spending, which requires the inclusion of grassroots and voter education work in its totals.

{mosads}The Chamber helped negotiate the comprehensive immigration reform bill that passed the Senate and is lobbying hard to get a bill to President Obama’s desk before Washington is consumed by midterm election politics.

“The Chamber’s lobbying activity reflects that immigration reform is a top priority, as we continue to educate members of Congress on the importance of reform. Our significant ad campaign that ran prior to the Senate vote on immigration was also included in that figure,” said Chamber spokeswoman Blair Latoff Holmes.

“During the quarter we also continued to promote other elements the Chamber’s policy agenda, which will generate stronger, more robust economic growth and create jobs,” she added.

The Chamber’s affiliated Institute for Legal Reform spent $4.9 million on lobbying in the second quarter of 2013 and has spent $11.3 million so far this year. That’s a slight decrease from 2012, when the Institute spent $6.3 million in the second quarter and $12.2 million in the first half of the year.

The forms released Monday give a sweeping view of the lobbying activities by the Chamber, which remains the largest and most active lobbying force in Washington.

Last quarter, the group lobbied on the farm bill, the implementation of the Dodd-Frank financial law, student loan reform, Keystone pipeline, ObamaCare repeal, TransPacific and TransAtlantic trade agreements and cybersecurity, among a slew of issues.