Annual Report
The Federal Lobbying Report 2026
$5.8B in disclosed lobbying across 500 organizations. 30% of lobbyists are former government officials.
Published April 2026 · Senate LDA data through Q4 2025
Executive Summary
Federal lobbying remains a multi-billion dollar industry. This report analyzes disclosed lobbying activity by 500 organizations, employing 3,488 registered lobbyists across 65 policy issue areas. The total disclosed spend is $5.8B, though this captures only formally registered lobbying, actual influence spending including grassroots campaigns, issue ads, and political donations is significantly higher.
The revolving door between government and lobbying firms continues unabated: 30% of all registered lobbyists (1,056 individuals) disclose prior government service. These former officials command premium rates due to their regulatory expertise, institutional knowledge, and personal connections to current decision-makers. 0 organizations earn our highest Influence Score grade (A), indicating the most extensive lobbying operations.
Industry concentration is pronounced. The top 3 industries, Trade Association, Technology & Internet, Pharmaceutical & Health Products, account for a disproportionate share of total spending. Policy areas like healthcare, taxation, and defense consistently attract the highest lobbying investment, reflecting the enormous regulatory and budgetary stakes involved.
Top 10 Biggest Spenders
| Rank | Organization | Industry | Total Spend | Lobbyists | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | US Chamber of Commerce | Trade Association | $387.8M | 60 | B |
| 2 | National Association of Realtors | Real Estate | $348.2M | 60 | B |
| 3 | Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America | Pharmaceutical & Health Products | $135.8M | 60 | B |
| 4 | American Hospital Association | Healthcare | $128.0M | 60 | B |
| 5 | Blue Cross Blue Shield Association | Insurance | $120.0M | 60 | B |
| 6 | American Medical Association | Healthcare | $107.6M | 60 | B |
| 7 | Meta Platforms | Technology & Internet | $98.6M | 60 | B |
| 8 | Amazon.com | Technology & Internet | $98.0M | 60 | B |
| 9 | Business Roundtable | Trade Association | $84.2M | 56 | B |
| 10 | National Association of Broadcasters | Media & Entertainment | $78.9M | 53 | B |
Lobbying Spend by Industry
| Industry | Total Spend | Organizations | Avg per Org |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trade Association | $1.1B | 114 | $9.5M |
| Technology & Internet | $672.2M | 47 | $14.3M |
| Pharmaceutical & Health Products | $569.1M | 34 | $16.7M |
| Defense & Aerospace | $452.5M | 36 | $12.6M |
| Energy & Natural Resources | $409.9M | 35 | $11.7M |
| Healthcare | $390.9M | 24 | $16.3M |
| Real Estate | $377.2M | 10 | $37.7M |
| Finance & Banking | $304.4M | 27 | $11.3M |
| Insurance | $274.0M | 18 | $15.2M |
| Telecommunications | $223.9M | 10 | $22.4M |
Most Lobbied Policy Issues
| Issue Area | Total Spend | Organizations |
|---|---|---|
| Government Issues | $5.6B | 498 |
| Taxation | $4.3B | 250 |
| Trade | $2.0B | 107 |
| Health Issues | $1.8B | 98 |
| Environment/Superfund | $1.8B | 93 |
| Budget/Appropriations | $1.5B | 28 |
| Labor/Workplace | $1.5B | 69 |
| Financial Institutions | $1.3B | 58 |
| Medical/Disease Research | $1.2B | 72 |
| Energy/Nuclear | $1.1B | 65 |
The Revolving Door
1,056 registered lobbyists in our database, 30% of the total, disclose former positions in the federal government. These former staffers, agency officials, and legislators are prized by lobbying firms for their institutional knowledge, personal relationships with current officials, and understanding of legislative and regulatory processes.
Organizations with the highest Influence Scores tend to employ the most revolving door lobbyists. This concentration of former government talent in the lobbying industry raises ongoing questions about the boundary between public service and private influence, particularly in heavily regulated sectors like healthcare, defense, and financial services.
Methodology
This report analyzes Senate Office of Public Records lobbying disclosure filings (LDA) covering 500 organizations and 4,000 individual filings. Spending figures reflect disclosed lobbying income and expenses. The Influence Score weights total spend (40%), issue breadth (30%), and revolving door connections (30%). See our full methodology.
Cite This Report
LobbySpend. "The Federal Lobbying Report 2026." lobbyspend.org, April 2026. https://www.lobbyspend.org/report/federal-lobbying-2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Total tracked federal lobbying spending across 500 organizations in our database is $5.8B. This covers filings reported to the Senate Office of Public Records under the Lobbying Disclosure Act. Actual influence spending is likely higher when including grassroots lobbying, issue advocacy, and campaign contributions.
Trade Association, Technology & Internet, Pharmaceutical & Health Products are the top three industries by total lobbying expenditure. Trade Association leads with $1.1B in reported spending.
The "revolving door" refers to lobbyists who previously held government positions, former congressional staffers, agency officials, or elected officials who leverage their connections and expertise for lobbying clients. 30% of registered lobbyists in our database (1,056 individuals) have disclosed former government positions.
Government Issues, Taxation, Trade are the most lobbied policy areas by total spending. Health issues consistently rank among the top due to the volume of regulatory and legislative activity affecting pharmaceutical, insurance, and healthcare provider interests.
The Influence Score (0-100, graded A-F) measures lobbying reach based on total spend (40%), issue breadth or number of policy areas lobbied (30%), and revolving door connections or the number of lobbyists with former government positions (30%). A higher grade indicates greater lobbying influence.
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