Uber launches a PAC
Presented by Recycled Materials Association
With Daniel Lippman
UBER'S NEW PAC: After pouring tens of millions of dollars into state and local political campaigns and ballot measures in recent years, Uber has opened a federal PAC for the first time — signaling that the rideshare giant is preparing to become a bigger player in federal politics. Javi Correoso, Uber's head of federal affairs, is serving as Uber PAC's treasurer, according to a statement of organization filed with the FEC on Tuesday.
— Uber has had a presence in D.C. for more than a decade. The company spent more than $2.6 million on federal lobbying last year, and has nearly a dozen lobbying firms on retainer in town. It donated $1 million to the past two presidential inaugural committees, but its campaign spending — individual executives notwithstanding — has been limited to state ballot fights over issues like independent worker classification as well as state legislative races.
— That's mostly a reflection of where the majority of regulation has taken place for companies like Uber. But the company increasingly has an interest in federal policy issues. 'We're launching Uber PAC to support candidates who understand our business and the ways that policies and regulations — in areas like autonomous vehicles, insurance, and flexible work — can impact the millions who use Uber every day,' the company said in a statement.
— Uber joins several of its fellow gig companies that have launched federal PACs over the past few years. Rideshare company Lyft formed a corporate PAC in 2020, while delivery service DoorDash started a corporate PAC in 2022, according to FEC filings.
Happy Tuesday and welcome to PI. This newsletter runs on tips, so let's hear 'em. You can add me on Signal, email me at coprysko@politico.com, and be sure to follow me on X: @caitlinoprysko.
SILICON VALLEY RALLIES FOR CLEAN ENERGY: Tech giants are mobilizing to salvage clean energy tax incentives from elimination in the GOP reconciliation bill, The Wall Street Journal's Amrith Ramkumar and Jennifer Hiller report, in 'a sign that access to power is a priority for the biggest artificial-intelligence companies.'
— 'The Data Center Coalition, a group that includes Microsoft, Alphabet's Google, Amazon.com and Meta Platforms, recently made its pitch in a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R., S.D.), according to a copy viewed by The Wall Street Journal.'
— 'The bill is fueling industry concerns about rising prices and power shortages if planned investments don't materialize. But garnering enough Republican support to preserve the tax credits could prove difficult because of the party's slim majorities in both chambers.'
— 'The Data Center Coalition discussed the topic with about 30 Republican senators, including Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and John Curtis of Utah, who have expressed support for the tax credits. Other groups that count big tech companies as members, including TechNet and the Clean Energy Buyers Association, have discussed saving the credits with the same lawmakers and have been encouraged by the talks, people familiar with the matter said.'
RELATED READ: John Ketchum, the chief executive of utility giant NextEra Energy, said at POLITICO's Energy Summit this morning that Republicans' push to boost domestic manufacturing and dominate the energy and AI industries would be dealt a serious blow by gutting the IRA's green tax credits, enacting strict supply chain restrictions and focusing on nuclear and coal power, per Isa Domínguez.
FLY-IN SZN: The reconciliation bill may be the hottest item on Congress' agenda right now, but several trade groups are heading to the Hill this week to discuss another pressing issue for the business community: the Trump administration's tariffs.
— The National Retail Federation is holding its third tariff-focused small business fly-in in as many months, bringing in small retailers to discuss the tariffs' impact on their business. They're scheduled to meet with Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) and Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) as well as the Republican staff for the House Small Business and Ways and Means committees and Democratic staff for the Senate Finance Committee.
— The American Seed Trade Association was on the Hill today to urge lawmakers to eliminate tariff and nontariff trade barriers and increase funding for ag research, among other things. Representatives of the seed industry were set to meet with more than 80 offices during the fly-in, with member-level sitdowns expected with Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.) and Reps. Angie Craig (D-Minn.), Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa), Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.) and Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.).
— Meanwhile, CEOs with AdvaMed will meet with lawmakers tomorrow to try and win support for a new medtech Medicare coverage bill. They'll also discuss tariffs' impact on the industry following congressional testimony on the issue last month from AdvaMed's president and chief executive. They'll close out the day with a showcase of their products for lawmakers.
— Elsewhere on the Hill, more than 1,000 advocates with the Alzheimer's Association were in town today for a fly-in aimed at winning additional investments in Alzheimer's and dementia research. Advocates had more than 400 meetings on the books, during which they planned to push for priorities like Medicare coverage of dementia screening tests and more training and resources for caretakers.
— There are a few reconciliation-focused fly-ins this week as well. State leaders with Americans for Prosperity are in town to lobby Hill offices on permanently renewing the 2017 tax cuts. More than 90 leaders from the Koch-funded grassroots group will be in town to meet with their state congressional delegations to underscore the urgency of passing the bill.
— And the National Federation of Independent Business has flown in small business leaders to lobby for maintaining the House-passed reconciliation bill's permanent extension of the 20 percent pass-through deduction. NFIB members will also press lawmakers to repeal the 2021 law aimed at cracking down on shell companies (even though it was gutted by Treasury earlier this year).
WALL STREET CHIDES REGULATORS' CYBER PRACTICES: 'Groups representing banks and other financial institutions on Monday urged the Trump administration to bolster cybersecurity at financial regulatory agencies, citing 'security weaknesses' exposed by recent breaches,' POLITICO's Michael Stratford writes.
— In a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the American Bankers Association, Bank Policy Institute, Managed Funds Association and the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association asked regulators to ramp up their security and data protection practices following recent breaches of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's email system and Treasury's data systems.
— 'The groups asked the Trump administration to stop requiring financial institutions to submit sensitive data to regulators through online portals or email,' Michael writes. 'They also want regulators to give financial firms the option of keeping data on their own systems and allow examiners to access the data on site at their firms or through firm computers.'
CLEARING THE BAR: 'Members of the D.C. Bar have elected an employment attorney as the association's new president, overwhelmingly rejecting the candidacy of lawyer Bradley J. Bondi, brother of Attorney General Pam Bondi,' per The Washington Post's Keith Alexander.
— 'With nearly 38,000 ballots cast, Bar officials announced Monday that Diane Seltzer garnered more than 90 percent of the vote. Bradley Bondi, a partner in the criminal defense firm Paul Hastings, received about 9 percent.'
— Ahead of the election, 'some members expressed concern that if Bondi were elected president of the 121,000-member association, it would open the door for the Trump administration to exert influence over the group and even use it to carry out retaliation against lawyers and firms deemed by President Donald Trump to be adversaries of his.'
— Bradley Bondi rejected that notion during a debate last month but denounced his critics in a statement on Monday after the results were announced. 'Their tactics, which included smearing me over my family and peddling conspiracies about my intentions, were not just an assault on my integrity but on the D.C. Bar's very mission,' he said.
ICYMI — NCAA NOTCHES SOME WINS: 'Now that a judge has approved the settlement of three major antitrust cases against the NCAA and power conferences, the political jostling over college sports legislation is expected to heat up on Capitol Hill,' The Washington Post's Jesse Dougherty reports.
— And draft legislation obtained by the Post, including for one measure teed up for a House hearing this week, 'would amount to a bill that checks off every item the NCAA has spent years — and millions — lobbying for.'
DOGE DEPARTURE: Tom Krause, who led the team of DOGE officials at the Treasury Department, has returned to his role as CEO of Cloud Software Group, according to an email to company employees obtained by PI.
— 'I have concluded my service as a Special Government Employee serving as Fiscal Assistant Secretary (PDO) for the U.S. Department of Treasury, effective Friday, June 6,' Krause said in the email. 'This was a temporary role I took on in addition to my role as CEO of Cloud Software Group, and I was honored to have had the opportunity to serve my country.'
— Krause had been leading the government cost-slashing effort's review of federal payments. In February, he was elevated to a new role overseeing Treasury's financial operations — 'including running the federal payments system and managing the cash and debt that finances the government' — after a top career Treasury official resigned in protest after clashing with Krause over access to the payments system and demands to freeze foreign aid, POLITICO's Michael Stratford reported at the time.
— Krause was one of the DOGE officials at the center of a legal fight over access to sensitive federal payment data systems, which a federal judge ultimately allowed last month.
Jobs report
— Marybeth Nassif is joining Jones Walker as a director in the government relations practice group. She previously was a professional staff member for the House Appropriations Committee.
— Kevin McKinley has joined Andreessen Horowitz's government affairs team to lead the venture firm's state-level policy efforts. McKinley, who previously managed Meta's legislative policy team in California, is a16z's first government affairs hire to focus solely on state-level policy.
— Daniel Harder has joined Mayer Brown as a senior government affairs adviser in D.C. He was previously director of public policy and government affairs at Biogen and is an EMD Serono and Mike Bishop alum.
— Jason Mulvihill will be president and CEO of the Association for Consumer Debt Relief. He previously was president of Capitol Asset Strategies.
— David Shapiro will be executive director of the MacArthur Justice Center. He currently is executive director of the Chicago Lawyers' Committee.
— Cara Duckworth is now senior vice president of communications at USTelecom – The Broadband Association. She previously was chief corporate comms officer at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
New Joint Fundraisers
None.
New PACs
40 Acres PAC (PAC)
Democracy for All PAC (Leadership PAC: Sharice Davids)
Elevate King County PAC (Super PAC)
REPUBLICAN FORWARD (Super PAC)
Rise Up PAC (Hybrid PAC)
UBER TECHNOLOGIES, INC. SEPARATE SEGREGATED FUND (UBER PAC) (PAC)
New Lobbying REGISTRATIONS
Bell & Lindsay, Inc. (Formerly White House Consulting Inc.): Gov Biz Advantage, Inc. (For Quantum Knight)
Best Best & Krieger LLP: Rancho Guejito Corporation
C2 Strategies: Soaring Technologies
Capital Park Partners LLC: Bigbear.Ai, LLC
Checkmate Government Relations: American Kitchen Cabinet Alliance
Checkmate Government Relations: Coquille Indian Tribe
Checkmate Government Relations: Earth Ai Inc.
Checkmate Government Relations: Hanesbrand Inc.
Checkmate Government Relations: Health Equality Campaign
Checkmate Government Relations: Qualtrics International Inc.
Checkmate Government Relations: Swr International, Inc.
Checkmate Government Relations: T1 Energy Inc.
Cornerstone Government Affairs, Inc.: State Of Hawaii Department Of Agriculture
Eleni Kalisch: Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Ltd.
Empire Consulting Group: Astrion
Empire Consulting Group: California State University, Sacramento (Sacramento State)
Empire Consulting Group: Ssp America
Impression Strategy, LLC: World Vision, Inc.
Invariant LLC: 2U, LLC
Kairos Government Affairs: North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association
K&L Gates, LLP: American Bearing Manufacturers Association
K&L Gates, LLP: American Gear Manufacturers Association
K&L Gates, LLP: Best Buy Co., Inc.
K&L Gates, LLP: Sifive, Inc.
Lemunyon Group, LLC: US-Jia, LLC (Northeast Maglev)
Lighthouse Strategies LLC: The Metals Company
Mabry Public Affairs LLC: Lower Colorado River Authority
Mercury Public Affairs, LLC: Sentinel Management LLC
Mercury Public Affairs, LLC: Weill Cornell Medicine
Miller Strategies, LLC: Cow Creek Band Of Umpqua Tribe Of Indians
Miller Strategies, LLC: J C Bamford Excavators Ltd.
Miller Strategies, LLC: Koch Government Affairs, LLC
Miller Strategies, LLC: Stonepeak Partners Lp
Miller Strategies, LLC: Sunset Lakes West Associates Lllp
Miller Strategies, LLC: Zipline International Inc.
Mr. Gaylord Hughey: Energy Access Innovations LLC
Ogr: Comerica Incorporated And Its Subsidiaries
Ouraring Inc.: Ouraring Inc.
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP: Victaulic
Sonosky, Chambers, Sachse, Endreson & Perry, LLP: Albuquerque Indian Health Board
The Bishop Consulting Group: Croplife America
Thegroup Dc, LLC: Clean Energy Buyers Association
Tholos Government Relations: Medforth Group
Venture Government Strategies, LLC (Fka Hobart Hallaway & Quayle Ventures, LLC): Keeping America's Edge
Venture Government Strategies, LLC (Fka Hobart Hallaway & Quayle Ventures, LLC): United States Hispanic Business Council (UShbc)
New Lobbying Terminations
Invariant LLC: Shiftkey, LLC
Pettus Consulting: American Sugar Cane League
Tholos Government Relations: Ttm Technologies,Inc.
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