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Presented by Save Our Standards: Delivered daily, Influence gives you a comprehensive rundown and analysis of all lobby hires and news on K Street. | | | | | |  | | By Caitlin Oprysko | Presented by Save Our Standards | With Daniel Lippman PROGRAMMING NOTE: Influence won’t publish from Friday, Dec. 24-Friday, Dec. 31. We’ll be back on our normal schedule on Monday, Jan. 3. WATCHING AND WAITING: Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) may have dropped a bombshell Sunday in declaring that he would not vote for Democrats’ climate and social spending package as is, but in interviews with PI, lobbyists said they are forging ahead as if nothing much has changed. — “The one thing I'm saying [to clients] is don't think that this is over,” one former Senate Democratic aide now on K Street told PI. “Like the clients that are payfors, don't rest. Do not rest. This is not by any means over.” Other than that, lobbyists told PI they’re advising their clients to sit tight as things shake out as they await further clarity on what’s next for what would be a centerpiece of President Joe Biden’s domestic agenda. — Virgil Miller, a lobbyist at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld who previously worked on the Hill for now-White House aide Cedric Richmond, said in an interview that, “I think it would be a little naive to think that it is over,” adding that “this still is the president's number one priority at the end of the day.” — Miller compared the present day environment to his time with the House Energy & Commerce Committee during negotiations on the Affordable Care Act. “There were numerous news cycles where ACA was pronounced dead,” he said. “But we had a motivated president. We had a motivated Democratic leadership. … I think that we find ourselves in a very similar situation right now.” — “Don't throw away — don't ball up your one-pagers or your talking points,” is the message that Chay English, a Democratic lobbyist at BGR Group, said he’s giving clients. “No potential pay-for, potential policy is off the table until a bill is signed into law,” he argued. “We're prepared for ongoing conversations and ongoing negotiations and protecting the interests and priorities of our clients, and advancing them as well.” — “We have to work as if all the items that we've been looking at over the last few months, that all those items are still on the table,” Miller added, “and that there are other items that are not on the table now that they may end up on the table.” — In conversations today several lobbyists noted that though the manner of Manchin’s announcement was unexpected, the substance of his comments should not have been surprising to anyone who’s been listening to the senator over the past few months. — “Today's escalation reflects Manchin's exasperation with the fact that his copartisans have not heeded his consistent warnings and clear concerns regarding the size and scope of the bill,” Bracewell’s Liam Donovan wrote in a memo that concluded the likelihood of passage has not really budged: “Corralling Bernie Sanders (e.g.) as the 50th vote for a Manchin-centric bill is a far easier proposition than the inverse.” — The former Democratic aide echoed Donovan, arguing that progressives will now have to decide if they want a small bill or no bill — adding that “it’s clear Manchin is fine with nothing.” The sooner they come to grips with that, the person added, the better off Democrats will be. Good afternoon and welcome to PI. Have you or your firm signed any interesting clients lately? Drafting up any interesting memos for clients? Send them my way: coprysko@politico.com. And be sure to follow me on Twitter: @caitlinoprysko. | | A message from Save Our Standards: Technical standards like 5G and Wi-Fi have the power to transform industries, fuel the economy, and create high-quality jobs. But that only happens if owners of patents essential to standards honor their commitments to license all innovators to use those patents on fair and reasonable terms. A new draft Administration statement restores the balance vital to standards adoption and job creation. Support the Administration to promote American manufacturing and limit product bans on standard-essential patents. | | | BRT TAPS STEEL: Veteran GOP strategist Michael Steel is joining The Business Roundtable as the trade group’s senior vice president of communications. Steel, a former John Boehner aide and current managing director at Hamilton Place Strategies, will lead the Roundtable’s external communications strategy and oversee its message development, media relations, digital engagement and marketing functions, according to the group. He’ll report to new COO and President Kristen Silverberg. BLACK MEMBERS TELL K STREET TO PUT UP OR SHUT UP ON DIVERSITY: “Members of the Congressional Black Caucus have a warning for Washington, D.C., lobbyists: Diversify your firms or you won’t have an audience with us,” POLITICO’s Hailey Fuchs and Laura Barrón-López report. — “Long a bastion of white men, K Street has found itself scrambling in recent years to up its representation of employees of color. But the threats from Black lawmakers to stop meetings with certain firms represents one of the most aggressive attempts to actually force K Street to change from within. — ‘We choose not to have any meetings with people who don't have African American or Latino lobbyists,’ Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) told POLITICO. ‘You got to be way out of it if you go into a meeting repeatedly with people of color, and you keep bringing three white men from Yale. It's just, no.’” — “The Black Caucus has not taken a formal vote on whether or not to meet with companies or firms that lack Black male and female representation. But Cleaver said ‘the majority of the votes are already there for not meeting with them,’ if anyone decided to hold a roll call at one of their weekly meetings. The increasing power and sheer size of the Congressional Black Caucus in the Democratic Party makes it a formidable political force on and off the Hill” — making hires of lobbyists “with connections to members of the caucus … an increasingly integral part of a firms’ competitive strategy.” | | | | STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president’s ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today. | | | | | DEATH, TAXES AND SURPRISE BILLING LOBBYING: “A year after Congress came up with a fix for surprise medical bills, health insurers, hospitals and doctors are still spending millions to tailor the fine print in their favor,” our Megan Wilson writes. “The aggressive campaign by health insurers, hospitals, doctors and big employers to influence how the Biden administration interprets the law is playing out through ad campaigns, lobbying efforts and in the courts, amid accusations that each side is profiting from a broken health system.” — “The law, which takes effect Jan. 1, protects patients from receiving expensive bills for unexpected out-of-network care but doctors, hospitals and insurers are still at odds over which factors an independent arbitrator should rely on to decide who picks up the tab. The outcome could swing billions of dollars in payments, significantly influence how doctors and hospitals negotiate prices with insurers and possibly affect premiums for millions of Americans. — “This is probably one of the most significant overhauls in the health system since the [Affordable Care Act],” a spokesperson for the Coalition Against Surprise Medical Billing told Megan, adding that “We certainly don't see any end in sight in terms of the battle in making sure that these regs are implemented.” HPS ADDS MORE MANAGING DIRECTORS: Hamilton Place Strategies has hired Michael Short as a managing director and promoted Melissa Manson and Max Mallory to managing directors. Short was most recently chief communications officer and director of public affairs at the CFTC, and is a National Association of Manufacturers, Trump White House and RNC alum. 70 LAWMAKERS ASK FOR SMALL BUSINESS RELIEF: Dozens of House lawmakers from both parties asked congressional leadership Friday to act on relief bills for the restaurant, fitness, travel, live events and hotel industries pointing to the rapid spread of new variants of Covid-19 which members argued “disproportionately impact businesses which rely upon in-person gathering to survive.” — “Congress has risen to the challenge before,” the lawmakers — which range from liberals like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) to centrist Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and even some Republicans like Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) — wrote, pointing to programs like PPP or targeted grants for restaurants and entertainment venues. — “Unfortunately, not all small businesses in need were able to access these programs,” they wrote. “Others did not receive much-needed financial assistance because the funds simply ran out. Instead of lifting all boats, we’ve only lifted some, leaving scores of small business owners out in the cold through no fault of their own. Many of these small business owners have taken on extraordinary debt while they wait for much-needed federal assistance. We must help them before it is too late.” — The lawmakers asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to swiftly move a “targeted relief package that funds all previously eligible requests through the RRF and allows small businesses in the fitness, live events, and travel industries to request much-needed federal assistance.” | | | | A message from Save Our Standards:   | | | WHO HOLDS CRYPTO?: The Wall Street Journal’s Chad Day, Julie Bykowicz and Paul Kiernan are up with a good look at which lawmakers, many of whom are advocates for less stringent regulation of the mushrooming cryptocurrency sector, also hold significant amounts of the digital assets. — Congress’ crypto leader? Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), a member of the Senate Banking Committee whose “roughly $250,000 of bitcoin makes her the most heavily invested U.S. lawmaker in the digital asset.” Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), the panel’s top Republican, “has smaller holdings in crypto-related investment vehicles,” while nine House members and at least five White House officials reported cryptocurrency assets, according to the Journal’s analysis. — “‘Somebody said, “She should sell her bitcoin.” It’s like, well, OK, it’s a commodity. Should I also sell my cows?’ Ms. Lummis said in an interview. ‘Should I sell my mutual funds? Should I sell my retirement fund, just because it might be invested in something that is a great store of value?’” — “Ms. Lummis plans to introduce legislation early next year that would allow the cryptocurrency industry to govern itself via a new self-regulatory organization overseen by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission, an idea some industry lobbyists and advocates have championed.” | | | — Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer has promoted David Skillman to managing director. He was most recently a senior associate and is a Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) alum. — Aimee Meacham has joined BT as U.S. and international vice president of government affairs. She previously was deputy associate administrator for international affairs at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. — Jeremy Wilson is joining the nonprofit AgGateway as executive vice president and chief operating officer and North America regional director. He was most recently senior vice president of field data solutions with agriculture software manufacturer EFC Systems. — Anna Yu is now government affairs and public policy manager at Google. She most recently was a professional staff member for the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce. | | | | BECOME A GLOBAL INSIDER: The world is more connected than ever. It has never been more essential to identify, unpack and analyze important news, trends and decisions shaping our future — and we’ve got you covered! Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Global Insider author Ryan Heath navigates the global news maze and connects you to power players and events changing our world. Don’t miss out on this influential global community. Subscribe now. | | | | | | | | CAMMACK DONALDS MEUSER 2022 JFC (Reps. Byron Donalds, Kat Cammack, Dan Meuser)
Renew America Joint Victory Committee (Joe Kent for Congress, Blake Masters for Senate)
Val Demings Victory Fund (Rep. Val Demings, Democratic Executive Committee of Florida) | | | Americans for Action (Super PAC)
Atap (Super PAC)
INOVIO Pharmaceuticals, Inc. DNA Medicines Political Action Committee (PAC)
Stop Him Now (Super PAC)
United States Pirate Coopertive Association (PAC) | | New Lobbying Registrations | | Alston & Bird LLP: Trisalus Life Sciences
Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.: Ace Theater Foundation, Inc.
Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.: City Of Hialeah, Florida
Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.: City Of Lauderhill, Florida
Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.: City Of Plantation, Florida
Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.: Norfolk Airport Authority
Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.: Rekor Systems, Inc.
Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.: Rubin Turnbull & Associates (On Behalf Of North Bay Village, Fl)
Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.: Streamlytics, Inc.
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: 70 North LLC
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Aditxt Inc.
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Broken Hill Proprietary (USa) Inc.
Crestview Strategy US LLC: Prince Edward Island Potato Board
Crestview Strategy US LLC: Telus
Foley & Lardner LLP: Littler Mendelson, P.C.
Invariant LLC: Hugo Boss USa, Inc.
K&L Gates, LLP: Lg Chem Ltd.
Mehlman Castagnetti Rosen & Thomas, Inc.: Ochsner Clinic Foundation Dba Ochsner Health
O'Donnell Advocacy Solutions: Epir,Inc.
Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville, P.C.: American Academy Of Child And Adolescent Psychiatry
Russell Public Communications: Skincure Oncology
Subject Matter (Fka Elmendorf Ryan): Aave LLC
Subject Matter (Fka Elmendorf Ryan): Defi Education Fund
The Kpm Group Dc LLC: Cognoa, Inc.
The Kpm Group Dc LLC: Relmada Therapeutics, Inc.
Todd Strategy, LLC Dba Todd Strategy Group: Vaxess Technologies Inc.
Tremont Strategies Group LLC: Community Servings | | New Lobbying Terminations | | The Petrizzo Group, Inc.: American Association Of Colleges Of Osteopathic Medicine | | A message from Save Our Standards: Support US Jobs. Stop SEP Abuse.
A new draft policy statement on standard-essential patents (SEPs) committed for licensing on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms was released jointly by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Department of Justice. The draft statement provides guidance on appropriate remedies in cases involving the use of these patents, and presents an approach to SEPs that strives to balance the interests of patent holders with the broad range of U.S. industries that use standards to protect the future of innovation.
Save Our Standards is a broad-based coalition working to end abusive practices in SEP licensing. We welcome the draft statement and support the Biden Administration for their leadership protecting U.S. competitiveness in charting out this balanced approach. Comments are being accepted through February 4. Support the Biden Administration to stop SEP abuse. | | | | | | | Follow us | | | | |  |
