Lobbyists Spent Over $27 Million From April To June Trying To Shape The Climate Bill

08/10/2009 • The Business Insider

Leading up to the vote on the climate bill, 1,150 business and interest groups lobbied Congress on climate issues, spending an estimated $27 million or more, according to a report from watchdog group, the Center For Public Integrity. Of that, 460 of the lobbying groups were formed in the second quarter of this year, just to focus on shaping the bill. Everyone got in on the lobbying action from universities to farm hands to religious groups. Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, as well as the National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd lobbied on the bill for a year. This prompted Americans United for Separation of Church and State to jump into the fray in the second quarter to make sure that religious groups didn't get subsidies to make their places of worship eco-friendly.