Revolving Door Spins Ex-Hill Aides Into Lobbyists

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9-25-09
Bloomberg

Sept. 25 (Bloomberg) -- The army of industry lobbyists in the health-care battle is fighting on familiar terrain: More than half of them used to work for the government they’re trying to influence.

Of 2,737 lobbyists hired to promote the interests of drug companies, insurers, hospitals, health professionals, industry groups and business organizations, 1,418 -- or 52 percent -- have worked for Congress, the White House or federal agencies. That includes 55 former members of Congress.

Government veterans give clients such as Amgen Inc. -- the world’s biggest biotechnology company, represented by 35 former congressional employees -- an advantage over public-interest organizations and groups with different health-care priorities. Former lawmakers or committee aides have an easier time getting through to erstwhile colleagues and know which arguments are persuasive, said Representative Maurice Hinchey.

“It gives them a leg up in terms of being able to talk to people more easily,” said Hinchey, a New York Democrat and a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, which supports creating a government-run health plan to compete with private insurers. “Their names are familiar. They’ve had conversations before with the people they now want to influence.”

Health-care lobbyists include former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, a Mississippi Republican, and Louisiana’s former Democratic Senator John Breaux. Both sat on the Senate Finance Committee, which is debating legislation to remake a health-care system that accounts for about 18 percent of the U.S. economy.

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