BNSF Railway's Federal Lobbying Record
BNSF Railway's $7.9M in disclosed federal lobbying puts it in the mid-tier of registered filers. Spending in the seven-figure range is common for established trade groups, mid-size corporations, and advocacy organizations that maintain a steady but not aggressive presence on Capitol Hill.
Across the 5-year window from 2020 to 2024, BNSF Railway's annual disclosed lobbying spend has declined modestly — from $1.7M in 2020 to $1.4M in 2024, a change of -17%. Step-changes of this size often coincide with major bills moving through Congress, regulatory rulemakings affecting the organization's industry, or a leadership change in the relevant committee.
BNSF Railway's disclosed lobbying covers 5 general issue areas — a moderate footprint. Filers in this range tend to engage on a coherent cluster of related topics rather than spreading effort across the federal agenda.
1 of 5 lobbyists reported by BNSF Railway (20%) disclose prior federal government service — a small minority of the named bench.
Among the named bench, lobbyists with disclosed prior federal service include Kimberly H. Campbell (Former Chief Counsel, House Ways & Means Committee). The covered-position field on LDA cover sheets captures executive-branch and senior congressional roles held within the prior two years.
Within the Transportation sector, BNSF Railway ranks #7 of 17 tracked organizations by disclosed lobbying spend. The sector leader is FedEx Corporation at $34.8M; the sector average is $9.3M. BNSF Railway's $7.9M sits 14% below the sector average.
BNSF Railway's LobbySpend Influence Score of 52/100 (grade C) is the most common grade in the index — it covers organizations with established but moderate federal advocacy programs. The score combines disclosed total spend (40%), issue breadth (30%), and revolving-door connections (30%). A C-grade is typical of mid-size corporations and trade associations with steady quarterly filings on a focused issue set.
Every figure above is sourced from Senate lobbying disclosure filings submitted under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995. Per-issue dollar splits and covered-position flags are filer-reported and may be amended after initial submission.
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Annual Lobbying Spend
Policy Issues
Government Entities Contacted
Recent Filings
| Period | Registrant | Issues | Lobbyists | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Oct-Dec | DLA Piper | RRRLBRTRA+1 | 2 | $314K |
| 2024 Jul-Sep | Steptoe & Johnson | LBRENV | 1 | $316K |
| 2024 Apr-Jun | Subject Matter | RRRTRALBR+2 | 1 | $367K |
| 2024 Jan-Mar | Podesta Group | TRAGOVENV+2 | 3 | $419K |
| 2023 Oct-Dec | Mehlman Consulting | TRARRRGOV+1 | 1 | $384K |
| 2023 Jul-Sep | Holland & Knight | LBRGOV | 3 | $332K |
| 2023 Apr-Jun | Invariant LLC | LBRRRRTRA | 4 | $331K |
| 2023 Jan-Mar | Prime Policy Group | GOVLBR | 1 | $397K |
BNSF Railway Lobbying FAQ
BNSF Railway has spent $7.9M on federal lobbying across 5 policy areas. This includes spending on registered lobbyists and direct government contacts.
BNSF Railway lobbies on 5 policy issues, including Railroads, Transportation, Environment/Superfund, Labor/Workplace. These disclosures are filed quarterly with the Senate Office of Public Records.
BNSF Railway has an Influence Score of 52/100 (Grade C). This proprietary score is based on total lobby spend (40%), policy issue breadth (30%), and revolving door connections (30%).
BNSF Railway employs 5 registered lobbyists, of whom 1 have revolving door connections, meaning they previously held government positions before becoming lobbyists.
BNSF Railway has contacted 7 government entities as part of their lobbying activities, including Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Dept of Health & Human Services, U.S. House of Representatives.
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Lobbying data is sourced from quarterly Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) filings with the Senate Office of Public Records. Influence Scores combine total spend (40%), issue breadth (30%), and revolving door connections (30%). Filings may be amended after initial submission.