Overview

OpenSecrets’ Federal Lobbying tool provides data on lobbying activity in the United States, detailing who is lobbying, how much they spend, and what issues they target. It tracks disclosures across sectors and time periods, offering transparency into corporate and political influence. Finance professionals may find it useful for assessing regulatory exposure, governance risks, and policy-driven market dynamics.

Organisation behind the tool

The tool is developed and maintained by OpenSecrets, a non-partisan, nonprofit research organisation that tracks the flow of money in U.S. politics. It is part of OpenSecrets’ wider platform that monitors campaign finance, personal financial disclosures, and political influence. The organisation operates an open-data programme that allows users to access and analyse lobbying and related datasets.

What the tool does

The Federal Lobbying tool enables users to:

• View total and detailed lobbying expenditures by organisation, industry, issue area, and year.
• Track trends in spending and number of active lobbyists over time.
• Search by client, lobbying firm, industry, or policy issue.
• Examine “Revolving Door” data showing links between former government officials and lobbying roles.
• Review lobbying on behalf of foreign governments or entities.
• Download bulk datasets or CSV files for independent analysis.
• Access profiles of lobbying activity focused on specific policy issues such as climate, energy, or defence.

Target audience

The tool is primarily aimed at researchers, journalists, and policymakers seeking insight into the influence of money on government decision-making. It is also valuable for financial analysts, compliance officers, ESG professionals, and advocacy groups interested in the intersection of policy and finance.

Relevance to finance professionals

Risk assessment

• Identify sectors or firms lobbying for regulatory changes that may affect investment stability.
• Assess exposure to policy risks or political controversies.

ESG analysis

• Evaluate governance risks linked to political influence and lobbying practices.
• Support corporate transparency and reporting on political engagement.

Market and sector insights

• Monitor lobbying trends across industries such as energy, healthcare, and technology.
• Detect early signals of regulatory or legislative change that may influence sector performance.

Investment context

• Use lobbying patterns as indicators of future policy directions or market disruptions.
• Integrate lobbying data into scenario analysis, stewardship, or engagement strategies.