Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Stay on top of the latest market trends
Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
Lobbyists are racing to grab a piece of a federal stimulus package that could top $2 trillion.
The big picture: Every industry, company and niche group affected by the virus, including some that have never lobbied before, is jockeying to get federal funding and approval for pet projects — making federal lobbying one of the few boom industries right now.
Where it stands: Congress is still working on a final package, with the hope of getting something done this week. The largest conglomerates and industry groups are working overtime to make sure they get a cut.
- Hotels, airlines, restaurants, casinos, manufacturers and other service industries that have been battered by the coronavirus spread are angling to get hundreds of billions in loans and other funding.
- Hospitals and physicians want at least $100 billion and significant Medicare payment hikes, partially because they've had to cancel lucrative elective procedures.
- A coalition of major employers is lobbying Congress for payroll tax credits and coverage subsidies for people who lose their jobs.
Additionally, some lobbyists are pushing for "stalled policy proposals unrelated to the crisis," the Wall Street Journal reports — everything from capping transaction fees on credit cards to creating tax breaks for gym memberships, according to the New York Times.
The intrigue: The chance for federal bailouts has motivated small players to make bigger investments, and some nontraditional parties are spending their first lobbying dollars.
- The mass cancellation of sports leagues and events prompted online gambling companies DraftKings and FanDuel to hire new federal lobbyists.
- Local arts alliances, disinfectant technology companies, individual doctors and school food prep companies are among the newcomers.
- The Economic Security Project Action, a consumer think tank, is trying to shape how much cash will go directly into Americans' pockets.
The bottom line: Business interests won in the Republican tax overhaul and the most recent year-end budget package. It's very possible the same will occur in the major coronavirus bill.