Tech Firms Lobbied in Q1 on Trump Policy Priorities, Copyright Legislation
Top tech sector firms and groups lobbied during Q1 against several of President Donald Trump’s policy proposals, most notably the Trump administration’s immigration executive orders, disclosure filings show. Tech’s monthslong battle against some Trump priorities intermingled with the sector’s more traditional policy interests, notably Copyright Office modernization, emerging technologies and privacy protections. Q1 lobbying filings were due Thursday. Many tech companies increased their Q1 lobbying expenditures over what they spent during the same period last year, though Google, Intel and Yahoo reported lower spending. AT&T led the telecom sector in Q1 lobbying, spending more than $1 million more than rival Verizon (see 1704210046).
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Facebook and Google were among the tech firms that specifically mentioned lobbying on the immigration orders. Many in the tech sector vigorously opposed Trump's first and second executive orders curtailing immigration, at least temporarily, from multiple Muslim-majority countries (see 1701290001, 1702060016 and 1702100042). The sector was more supportive of Trump’s order urging federal agencies to recommend “reforms to help ensure that H-1B visas are awarded to the most-skilled or highest-paid petition beneficiaries” (see 1704190054). Microsoft said it lobbied against potential Trump tax law revamp proposals and proposed FY 2018 federal spending cuts for science and research funding. Apple also lobbied on tax revamp legislation.
Google spent $3.5 million on lobbying in Q1, down more than 7 percent from last year, though many of the outside firms claiming lobbying income from the firm reported figures on par from Q1 2016. Crossroads Strategies, Gephardt Group Government Affairs, S-3 Group and Prime Policy Group each received $80,000 from Google during the quarter. Facebook’s lobbying expenditures totaled $3.2 million for the quarter, up more than 15 percent from last year. The firm also increased its use of outside firms, adding representation by Ogilvy Government Relations and Baker Hostetler.
Amazon increased its spending to $2.9 million, up more than 9 percent from last year. Squire Patton Boggs reported receiving $100,000 from the firm, which also paid $80,000 to Akin Gump and Brownstein Hyatt. Microsoft reported $2.3 million in expenditures, up almost 14 percent from Q1 2016. It paid at least 23 firms a combined $1.1 million. Oracle’s spending increased more than 28 percent from Q1 2016, to $2.2 million. Apple’s Q1 spending increased almost 24 percent, to $1.4 million, over the same period in 2016. Capitol Tax Partners received $90,000 from the company, while Fierce Government Relations and Franklin Square Group each received $80,000.
IBM said it increased its spending to $1.1 million from $830,000 last year. Intel said it spent just under $1 million, down almost 19 percent from Q1 2016. Yahoo said it spent $560,000 during the quarter, down from $690,000 last year. Cisco’s spending totaled $390,000 in Q1, down from $420,000 during the period in 2016. Uber said it increased its spending to $370,000 from $320,000 last year. Twitter said its Q1 expenditures stayed the same at $170,000. Lyft’s spending rose 450 percent, from $20,000 in Q1 2016 to $110,000 during that period this year.
At least 31 companies and industry groups lobbied during Q1 on proposals to change the selection process and term of office for the register of copyrights, including AT&T, Disney, MPAA, NAB, Public Knowledge and RIAA. Q1 was the first time any stakeholders specifically mentioned register legislation as a separate issue from the House Judiciary Committee’s general copyright law review. At least 38 entities lobbied on more general Copyright Office modernization issues. House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., and ranking member John Conyers, D-Mich., release a modernization proposal in December (see 1612080061 and 1701310047). Ninety-three entities lobbied on overall copyright issues in Q1, down from 108 in the same period last year.
The appearance of specific lobbying on register legislation clearly stems from the decision to tee up the Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act (HR-1695) as House Judiciary’s first bill stemming from the copyright review, several lobbyists told us. That bill would make the register a presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed position with a 10-year term (see 1703230068). Several entities also mentioned lobbying on the Copyright Office for the Digital Economy Act (HR-890), which also would make the register a presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed role (see 1704200047).
House leaders set a floor vote this week on HR-1695, with a Wednesday vote appearing increasingly likely at our deadline Friday. The House Rules Committee said Friday it will meet Tuesday to consider possible amendments to the bill before a floor vote. The committee is to meet at 5 p.m. in H-313 Capitol. HR-1695 is expected to pass the House with near-unanimous Republican support, but the level of potential Democratic opposition remains unclear (see 1704200047). Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., strongly supported the bill via an opinion piece in The Hill as needed to “ensure our nation’s [CO] is able to serve all stakeholders in today’s modern age.”
Lyft and Uber both lobbied on autonomous vehicles, which the companies are helping to develop and test. In February, a Lyft official testified before a House Commerce subcommittee over a patchwork of state and local regulations that he said were hampering development of the technology (see 1702140042), which has been an issue for the industry for some time (see 1611220036).