Author: Karl Evers-Hillstrom

McConnell ultimatum endangers China competition bill

The fate of bipartisan legislation to boost U.S. competitiveness with China could be imperiled by political battles. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) aims to pass a party-line economic package to lower drug prices and raise taxes on high earners despite Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) threat to block the China-centric measure if Democrats…

Bottom line

BUSINESS The Walt Disney Co. hired former Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) to lobby on entertainment industry, copyright and theme park security issues. Goodlatte, a 13-term congressman, previously chaired the House Judiciary Committee. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce hired Fulcrum Public Affairs to lobby on issues related to artificial intelligence and consumer privacy and emerging technology…

Flight cancellations loom large over summer travel season

Airlines endured a better-than-expected Fourth of July holiday weekend, but staffing shortages and other root causes of flight disruptions continue to loom large over the busy summer travel season. U.S. carriers canceled roughly 1,400 flights between Friday and Monday, according to data from flight analytics firm masFlight. The number is down from Memorial Day weekend and…

Lobbying world

Airbnb hired Meaghan Lynch as a public policy manager. Lynch previously served as deputy communications director for Vice President Harris in the Senate and most recently served as press secretary at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Jennifer Kuskowski joined Siemens Healthineers AG as head of government affairs for the Americas. Kuskowski most recently…

On The Money — Capitol Hill braces for Big Tech showdown

Advocates for some of the biggest technology companies are scrambling to stop key legislation from moving before it’s too late. We’ll also look at growth in green jobs and deeper concerns among Americans about how Washington, D.C., is affecting the economy. But first, check your ice cream for listeria. Welcome to On The Money, your nightly…

Battle over Big Tech bills goes down to the wire

Lobbying both for and against legislation to crack down on U.S. tech giants is intensifying as the Senate enters a critical month for the antitrust bills. All eyes are on Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), who will need to decide whether to prioritize measures to regulate Google, Apple, Amazon and Meta over other key…

West Coast port dispute poses latest threat to supply chain

A labor contract between shipping companies and West Coast port workers is set to expire Friday, raising fears of a walkout that could exacerbate supply chain disruptions and product shortages. Both sides have maintained that port workers will continue to process cargo even after the deadline to agree to a new contract passes. Retailers, manufacturers…