Why It Matters

Amgen Inc. has registered Avenue Solutions as a new outside lobbying firm, according to a lobbying registration disclosure filed June 1. The engagement covers Medicare and Medicaid issues, a policy arena that has drawn significant congressional scrutiny of the pharmaceutical giant in recent months.

The company has longstanding engagement on drug pricing and reimbursement policy. Adding Avenue Solutions signals a continued investment in Medicare and Medicaid advocacy at a moment when those programs are under significant legislative and political pressure. The firm brings Senate Finance Committee experience to the table, a relevant credential given recent congressional activity targeting Amgen directly on Medicaid drug pricing.

By the Numbers

The new lobbying registration disclosure lists two lobbyists assigned to the Amgen account at Avenue Solutions:

  • Tracy Spicer, Principal and Founding Partner
  • Matt Fuentes, Partner, who previously served as a staffer on the Senate Finance Committee

No dollar amount was listed in the initial registration filing, which is standard for new client registrations under lobbying disclosure act filing requirements. Spending figures will be reported in subsequent quarterly disclosures.The filing lists Medicare/Medicaid as the sole issue area.

Broader Context

The registration comes amid a charged environment for pharmaceutical companies on Capitol Hill. In March 2026, a coordinated group of Senate Democrats, led by Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, sent letters directly to Amgen and ten other major pharmaceutical companies demanding transparency about their Medicaid pricing agreements with the Trump administration.

Earlier, in June 2025, Rep. Janice Schakowsky (D-IL) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) targeted five major pharmaceutical companies, including Amgen, alleging the company paid zero in federal taxes while lobbying to extend tax provisions. Their statement drew a direct line between pharmaceutical tax policy and Medicare and Medicaid funding.

Amgen also appeared in a bipartisan context during this period. In the same month, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) and Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) reintroduced the Prescription Information Modernization Act, legislation that would allow the FDA to permit electronic distribution of prescribing information. Amgen was listed as an organizational supporter of the bill in both companion press releases.

The Bottom Line

Amgen's addition of Avenue Solutions, with its Senate Finance Committee pedigree, reflects active engagement on Medicare and Medicaid policy at a time when the company faces direct congressional scrutiny on drug pricing. The lobbyist registration requirements under the LDA filing process mean spending details will follow in later filings. For now, the registration signals that Amgen is expanding its outside lobbying bench on the issues most central to its current political exposure.