• EDUCATION. Elmendorf Ryan has been hired by Apollo Group Inc. to lobby on “issues relating to financial aid for higher education and gainful employment rules,” according to lobbying disclosure records. Steve Elmendorf, a former senior aide to House Democratic Leader Richard Gephardt (D-Mo.), and Barry LaSala, once counsel to the Senate Small Business Committee, are lobbying for the company.
• ENERGY. Twenty-First Century Group Inc. has been hired by the In Situ Oil Sands Alliance, which is based in Calgary, Alberta, to lobby on “issues related to Canadian oil sands in general, as well as issues related to H.R. 1938, the North American-Made Energy Security Act; Keystone Pipeline XL; and Section 526,” according to lobbying disclosure records. Former Rep. Jack Fields (R-Texas) and Jocelyn Hong, a former aide to ex-Sen. John Glenn (D-Ohio), are lobbying for the coalition.
{mosads} • ENVIRONMENT. Holland & Knight has been hired by the Edison Electric Institute to lobby on the Clean Air Act, according to lobbying disclosure records. Beth Viola, a former senior environmental adviser in the Clinton White House, is lobbying for the trade group.
• HEALTHCARE. Venn Strategies has been hired by the National Transitions of Care Coalition to lobby on “issues in and around transitions of care in a health setting,” according to lobbying disclosure records. Lindsay Punzenberger, a former legislative aide to Rep. Tom Petri (R-Wis.), and Jacqueline Stewart, once a legislative correspondent to Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), are lobbying for the coalition.
• SPACE. Patton Boggs has been hired by SpaceX, a commercial space transportation company, to lobby on “issues related to commercial space transportation,” according to lobbying disclosure records. Former Sens. John Breaux (D-La.) and Trent Lott (R-Miss.) are lobbying for the company.
• TECHNOLOGY. Covington & Burling has been hired by Amazon to lobby on “Issues related to the collection of state sales taxes by remote sellers. — S. 1832; H.R. 3179; S. 1101,” according to lobbying disclosure records. Martin Gold, former floor adviser and counsel to ex-Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), and Holly Fechner, once policy director to the late Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), are lobbying for the company.