Washington, D.C.-based communications and lobbying firm TheGroup has been hired by aerospace and weapons systems giant Lockheed Martin Corporation for lobbying issues surrounding the 2017 defense budget.
TheGroup will aid the Bethesda, MD-based defense manufacturer with Capitol Hill support regarding H.R.4909, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017.
According to a May 4 preliminary estimate report released by the Congressional Budget Office, H.R. 4909 would cut the national defense stockpile by $15 million a year and would reduce net direct military spending by $206 million between 2017 and 2026.
That bill was sent to the House for consideration on April 28. It is sponsored by House Armed Services Committee chairman Mac Thornberry (R-TX).
The Lockheed Martin account will be handled by principal Darrel Thompson, who was previously deputy chief of staff for intergovernmental and external affairs to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and a senior policy advisor and director of member services to Richard Gephardt (D-MO); and principal Sudafi Henry, who was previously director of legislative affairs for Vice President Joseph Biden, counsel and senior policy advisor for House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), and legislative director for Reps. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) and Major Owens (D-NY).
Anthropic, the artificial intelligence company banned by Defense Secretary Hegseth, has hired Ballard Partners for DC representation.
The Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development enrolls Venable for government relations services.
Coinbase has hired Checkmate Government Relations, which has close ties to the Trump administration, to handle matters related to digital assets as the Senate works on the Clarity Act.
Peter Thiel-backed Palantir Technologies has added Democratic firm Ferox Strategies to its DC lobbying line-up to handle data analytics and technology issues.
Former congressmen Joe Crowley (D-NY) and Jeff Denham (R-CA) have signed on to handle the “new” TikTok on issues related to internet technology and learning-enabled platforms.
