Norfolk Southern's Federal Lobbying Record
Norfolk Southern's $6.2M 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, Norfolk Southern's annual disclosed lobbying spend has climbed meaningfully — from $1.1M in 2020 to $1.4M in 2024, a change of +27%. 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.
Norfolk Southern's disclosed lobbying focuses on a narrow 4-issue footprint. A focused issue list usually means the organization concentrates its federal engagement on a small set of bills or rulemakings directly relevant to its core business.
1 of 4 lobbyists reported by Norfolk Southern (25%) disclose prior federal government service. That share is common at established government affairs operations that explicitly hire from agency and committee staff.
Among the named bench, lobbyists with disclosed prior federal service include James C. Doherty (Former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury). 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, Norfolk Southern ranks #9 of 17 tracked organizations by disclosed lobbying spend. The sector leader is FedEx Corporation at $34.8M; the sector average is $9.3M. Norfolk Southern's $6.2M sits 33% below the sector average.
Norfolk Southern's LobbySpend Influence Score of 51/100 (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.
Track Norfolk Southern's lobbying filings
Subscribe for LobbySpend updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Annual Lobbying Spend
Policy Issues
Government Entities Contacted
Recent Filings
| Period | Registrant | Issues | Lobbyists | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Oct-Dec | Peck Madigan Jones | ENVRRRTRA+1 | 2 | $307K |
| 2024 Jul-Sep | Summit Strategies Government Affairs | TRAENV | 2 | $383K |
| 2024 Apr-Jun | Arnold & Porter | ENVTRA | 2 | $379K |
| 2024 Jan-Mar | Capitol Counsel | GOVENV | 4 | $390K |
| 2023 Oct-Dec | Prime Policy Group | TRAGOV | 2 | $425K |
| 2023 Jul-Sep | Hogan Lovells | TRARRR | 4 | $393K |
| 2023 Apr-Jun | BGR Group | ENVGOVRRR | 1 | $329K |
| 2023 Jan-Mar | Jones Day | RRRGOVTRA | 3 | $386K |
Norfolk Southern Lobbying FAQ
Norfolk Southern has spent $6.2M on federal lobbying across 4 policy areas. This includes spending on registered lobbyists and direct government contacts.
Norfolk Southern lobbies on 4 policy issues, including Railroads, Transportation, Environment/Superfund, Government Issues. These disclosures are filed quarterly with the Senate Office of Public Records.
Norfolk Southern has an Influence Score of 51/100 (Grade C). This proprietary score is based on total lobby spend (40%), policy issue breadth (30%), and revolving door connections (30%).
Norfolk Southern employs 4 registered lobbyists, of whom 1 have revolving door connections, meaning they previously held government positions before becoming lobbyists.
Norfolk Southern has contacted 7 government entities as part of their lobbying activities, including Dept of the Interior, Dept of Labor, Dept of Energy.
Explore Other Lobbying Organizations
$387.8M lobbying spend · Trade Association · Influence Score B
$348.2M lobbying spend · Real Estate · Influence Score B
$128.0M lobbying spend · Healthcare · Influence Score B
$120.0M lobbying spend · Insurance · Influence Score B
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.