Health Care Industry Top Spender on Federal Lobbying in 2002, Washington Post Says

The health care sector spent more money than any other industry to lobby federal lawmakers last year, the Washington Post reports in its "Under the Hood: A Look at the Inner Workings of Government" column. According to the Post, the health care industry spent $234,724,579 on federal lobbying in 2001. The communications and the finance/insurance industries spent the second and third most on lobbying efforts last year, with the communications sector spending $217,163,009, and the finance/insurance sector spending $204,257,351. Overall, companies and interest groups spent more than $130 million per month to lobby federal legislators (Washington Post, 8/19).