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The Lobbyist Connection
A weekly snapshot of U.S. lobbying & government affairs
Week of Sept 23–29, 2025
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Top Lines (what matters now)
- Shutdown brinkmanship: House passed a CR to Nov 21; Senate resistance keeps an Oct 1 shutdown risk alive. Read
- Agency independence at stake: Supreme Court actions could expand presidential removal power over independent commissions—reshaping strategy at FTC/SEC/NLRB/Fed. Background
- TikTok clock: Enforcement delay now set for Dec 16, 2025 while a sale/security package is negotiated. Update
- Labor flashpoint: With an NLRB quorum gap, New York’s S.8034A ignites federal preemption fights (Amazon & NLRB suits). Court docs
- SEC climate rule: Litigation held in abeyance while the SEC considers defend/revise/rescind paths. Docket
- FTC pivots: Non-compete rule stalled; expect case-by-case Section 5 actions. “Junk-fees” rule remains live for pricing disclosures. Compliance tips
- China tariffs: USTR extended Section 301 exclusions to Nov 29; comment window open for extensions. Comment
- Grid & data-center demand: DOE pulled a major loan commitment; FERC Order 1920 challenges slow build-out. Learn more
- Medicare drug pricing: Cycle-2 negotiations continue; key IRA milestones land late-2025 with 2027 price effect. IRA timeline
- EPA rollbacks: Proposed rescission of power-sector GHG rules and MATS changes advance toward litigation. Proposals
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Legislation to Watch
Continuing Resolution (CR)
House-passed stopgap to Nov 21; watch for telehealth, hospital-at-home, DSH riders.
Bill text
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PBM Reform Act (H.R. 4317)
Bipartisan momentum; jurisdiction across multiple House committees.
Tracker
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State PBM Waves
California SB 41 advances reporting/spread pricing limits; Arkansas ownership rule enjoined.
State briefs
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Regulatory Moves
- Independent Agencies: Potential curbs on commissioner insulation shift advocacy toward Executive Branch engagement. Analysis
- SEC Climate: Dual-track prep for 2026 reporting vs. alternative ESG disclosures. Court order
- FTC—Non-competes: Rule stalled; monitor targeted actions in labor markets. Guidance
- FTC—“Junk Fees”: Move to true all-in pricing at checkout. Rule overview
- USTR 301: Exclusions extended through Nov 29; file evidence-rich comments. Portal
- EPA: Power-sector GHG rescission and MATS revisions advancing. Dockets
- FERC/DOE: Interregional transmission timelines stretch; align with Order 1920 compliance windows. Order 1920
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Statehouse Watch
New York—S.8034A
Dueling suits (Amazon & NLRB) set up federal preemption test.
Read filing
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California—SB 41
PBM curbs gathering momentum; coalition planning advised.
Leg text
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Action Items (do this now)
- Draft a one-pager for CR adds/defends/strikes (health, cyber, disaster, tech). Template
- File Section 301 comments before the Nov 29 lapse; include import volumes & jobs impact. Submit
- Audit “junk fees”: convert to all-in pricing and retrain marketing & revops. Checklist
- NY labor playbook: federal preemption memo + Albany outreach plan. Brief
- EPA comments: address BSER, reliability modeling, mercury controls; align with trade groups. Comment
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Calendar & Deadlines
- USTR Section 301 comment portal — open now. Portal
- EPA comment periods (power GHG repeal, MATS) — September windows. Deadlines
- CR deadline — Sept 30 (FY26 starts Oct 1). Tracker
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The Lobbyist Connection
Curated by the team behind three LinkedIn groups in government services, lobbying & law.
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