Common Pitfalls Regarding Federal Lobby Reporting

Understanding federal lobby reporting, documenting, and disclosures will help your practice stay informed and compliant.

Every federal lobbyist is required to file lobbying disclosure reports, but do not understand what exactly to report and what data to collect. Moreover, the Government Affairs Office often does not have insight into lobbying activity that other parts of the company may be engaged in. How do you gather all of this information from your lobbyists and from disparate parts of the company so that you are properly reporting the company's lobbying activities and reportable expenditures under the Lobbying Disclosure Act. This topic helps the person assigned the unenviable task of reporting under the Lobbying Disclosure Act. You will be able to put together a survey that suits the needs and culture of your company, while at the same time complying with the reporting requirements. You will gain insight into who, within the company, might have the information that you are looking for and how to gather that information. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) audits are random, so this information allows employers to prepare for that inevitable audit and enables the company to feel secure in what it is reporting.