Bottom Line: PBMs plus up

PBMs

The ​Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA), the trade association representing pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), hired Emergent Strategies to lobby on issues related to the industry. PBMs have been under tremendous pressure from lawmakers, pharmaceutical groups and others who argue they drive up prescription drug prices and demand transparency into their opaque operations. 

The PCMA has been at the forefront of pushing back on those claims and engaging with lawmakers on a slate of bills that could reform the industry. Its federal lobbying spending skyrocketed to $15.4 million last year from $8.7 million in 2022, according to the nonpartisan political money tracking organization OpenSecrets.

Scott Eckhart, the former lead Democratic lobbyist at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, will work on the account.

Finance

Emergent Strategies also registered to lobby for Capital One on issues related to antitrust, competition, capital requirements for large banks and the Credit Card Competition Act, which would require large card issuers to offer at least two networks to process credit card transactions other than Visa and Mastercard. Capital One announced plans to acquire Discover in February, and the deal is expected to close at the end of this year or in early 2025 pending regulatory approval, not a guarantee in a merger-wary Biden administration.

Environment

The ​International Council of Shopping Centers hired Ice Miller to lobby on issues related to the Environmental Protection Agency’s final rule on PFAS, the widely-used “forever chemical” about which The Hill’s Rachel Frazin is writing a book, and the Compensation and Liability Act of 1980. The EPA finalized a rule in April to designate two common forms of PFAS as hazardous substances act. 

One of the lobbyists on the account is Jarrod Loadholt, former senior counsel to the House FInancial Services Committee and a Credit Karma and Tesla alum.

The Stanton Park Group hired the ​National Mining Association to lobby on issues related to mining on federal lands, permitting, domestic supply chains, energy grid resilience and “policies to increase domestic mineral production in lieu of importing minerals from the Peoples Republic of China.” James “JD” ​Derderian, former chief of staff on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, will work on the account.

Farm bill

The humanitarian relief group ​Catholic Relief Services hired Advocacy Associates to lobby on farm bill provisions related to international food aid. The lobbyist on the account is Kyle ​Matous, former chief of staff to Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas).