Why it matters
Business Roundtable, the influential CEO association, continues high-level lobbying across a wide range of business priorities, signaling where major corporate interests are focusing their policy influence in 2025.
By the numbers
- $6.86 million: Business Roundtable’s Q1 2025 lobbying spend
- 15.83%: Decrease from Q4 2024’s $8.15 million
- $5.09 million: Historical quarterly average, making current spending still significantly above normal levels
The big picture
Business Roundtable is maintaining an aggressive in-house lobbying operation targeting tax policy, workforce development, technology regulation, international trade, and corporate governance issues critical to America’s largest companies.
Tax policy dominates the agenda
The organization is focusing heavily on several key tax bills:
- American Innovation and R&D Competitiveness Act (H.R. 1990): Aims to restore R&D expense deductions
- American Investment in Manufacturing and Main Street Act (S. 559): Seeks permanent extension of favorable treatment for depreciation/amortization in calculating business interest expense limits
- ALIGN Act (H.R. 574/S. 187): Would make full expensing of qualified property costs permanent
- Defending American Jobs and Investment Act (H.R. 591): Addresses international tax concerns, particularly around OECD Pillar One and Two proposals
Business Roundtable is also actively preparing for the 2025 expiration of corporate tax provisions, SALT deductions, and international tax measures.
Beyond tax
Other legislative priorities include:
- Workforce development: Supporting the bipartisan JOBS Act (S. 383) to expand Pell Grants for short-term training programs
- Technology regulation: Engaging on AI governance, cybersecurity (including CISA reauthorization), and data privacy frameworks
- China policy: Lobbying on the China Financial Threat Mitigation Act (H.R. 1549), which assesses U.S. financial exposure to China
- Energy and environment: Working on climate change, permitting reform, critical minerals, and energy security policies
- SEC regulations: Addressing climate disclosure rules and shareholder proposal reforms
The players
Business Roundtable relies on a veteran in-house lobbying team with deep experience in relevant congressional committees:
- Corey K. Astill: Joint Economic Committee and Senate Finance background
- Donald Robert McIntosh: House Ways and Means and Education/Workforce experience
- Jennifer Thornton: Former Trade Counsel for House Ways and Means
- William L. Anderson: Former Subcommittee Staff Director on House Financial Services
- Paul Anderson Jackson: House Energy and Commerce experience
- Javier Gamboa Jr.: Senate Environment and Public Works background
- Matthew E. Sonnesyn: Former Labor Counsel with Senate HELP experience
- Catherine G. Schultz: Career lobbying professional
The competition
Business Roundtable isn’t alone in these efforts. Major corporations and industry associations are also lobbying on the same legislation:
- H.R. 1990: Amazon, Lockheed Martin, NAM, Oracle, Pfizer, IBM among others
- S. 559: Alliance for Biopharmaceutical Competitiveness, Tax Reform Coalition, Johnson & Johnson, IBM
- ALIGN Act: FedEx, International Paper, General Mills, Pfizer, BP
- H.R. 591: Investment Company Institute, Boston Scientific, Novo Nordisk, Global Business Alliance
- S. 383: ITIC, Trinity Health, Associated General Contractors
What’s next
Expect sustained lobbying throughout 2025, with particular intensity around tax provisions set to expire and emerging technology regulations. The high spending level signals Business Roundtable views these policy battles as critical to their member companies’ interests.