Author: Karl Evers-Hillstrom

Cannabis banking bill removed from China competition package

Congressional leaders have removed a key cannabis banking measure from their China competition bill, dealing a blow to marijuana advocates who pushed for its inclusion. The SAFE Banking Act, which would allow legally operating cannabis businesses to access banking services, was included in House Democrats’ COMPETES Act but not the Senate’s bipartisan U.S. Innovation and…

Manufacturers, transportation groups push back on Biden gas tax proposal

Lobbying groups representing manufacturers, construction contractors and civil engineers on Wednesday criticized President Biden’s proposal to suspend the federal gas tax to combat sky-high fuel prices. The business groups argued that the effort won’t bring relief to consumers at the pump and could derail major transportation projects paid for by the Highway Trust Fund, which…

Lobbying world

Shari Yost Gold joined Invariant LLC as a senior adviser on the firm’s public affairs team. Yost Gold, who owns her own consulting firm, was a longtime adviser and campaign consultant for Vice President Harris dating back to her time as California attorney general. Julie Dunne joined Monument Advocacy as a principal. Dunne previously served…

Bottom line

TRADE ​Target Corp. hired Cornerstone Government Affairs Inc. to lobby on issues related to trade, importation of infant baby formula, data privacy, trademarks, supply chains, corporate tax policy, budget reconciliation and measures in the China competition bill. Christopher ​Hodgson, former deputy floor director for House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), will work on the account. …

Why high housing costs could keep climbing

Sky-high mortgage rates and a construction slowdown could push record rents and home prices even higher, further threatening housing affordability for millions of Americans. Economists say that rising mortgage rates should cool down the housing market’s red-hot price appreciation in the short term but are also likely to drive up rents. New construction of houses…

Lobbying world

Tim Robinson joined the Tiber Creek Group as a lobbyist. Robinson previously served as chief counsel to House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone (D-N.J.). He also served as legislative director and senior policy counsel to Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), a fellow committee member. The American Petroleum Institute named Amanda Eversole as executive vice…

Warning signs flash for crypto industry

The latest cryptocurrency selloff reveals signs of trouble for the crypto industry, which was already facing layoffs and hiring freezes amid a global economic downturn. Bitcoin plunged nearly 23 percent from Friday to Monday, hitting its lowest mark since late last year. Ethereum, the second most popular cryptocurrency, dropped 32 percent over the same period….

Travel industry cheers CDC’s removal of testing requirement

Airlines and travel groups cheered the Biden administration’s decision to lift its COVID-19 testing requirement for air travelers entering the U.S., a long-sought victory for the industry. The Biden administration on Friday announced that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) will no longer require U.S.-bound travelers to show a negative COVID-19 test as of Sunday….