Why It Matters

Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc. terminated its lobbying relationship with Forbes Tate Partners LLC on July 27, according to a filing signed September 2.

By The Numbers

The termination covered $20,000 in lobbying fees for the third quarter of 2026.

Forbes Tate Partners LLC received approximately $2.03 million or more in total compensation from Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc. across filings covering 2020 quarter two through 2026 quarter one, plus the termination.

Bio-Rad is a publicly traded life sciences and clinical diagnostics company with $2.583 billion in full-year 2025 net sales.

Broader Context

Bio-Rad's lobbying focus has evolved significantly since 2021. Initially, the company concentrated on biomedical innovation. Bio-Rad lobbied on PFAS in 2023 Q1–Q2, and dropped PFAS from its lobbying focus after 2023.

Starting in 2025, Bio-Rad pivoted toward new issue codes. The company added Defense (DEF) as a lobbying focus in the first quarter of 2025, followed by Medicare/Medicaid (MMM) in the third quarter of 2025. These shifts align with broader congressional activity.

The fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act authorized $137.7 million for biological defense programs, including pathogen surveillance systems, according to the Council on Strategic Risks. Bio-Rad added a Defense issue code to its lobbying starting in 2025 quarter one.

The company also shifted its focus to biomedical research and development, pathogen surveillance, and advanced diagnostic testing starting in 2025. These priorities came as the Trump administration and DOGE proposed or enacted cuts of approximately 40% to NIH's budget. Over $5 billion in NIH and NSF research grants were frozen or terminated in 2025.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a final rule in May 2024 to regulate laboratory-developed tests as medical devices. However, a federal court vacated that rule, and the FDA formally rescinded it on September 19, 2025.

The Bottom Line

Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc. has lobbied on Defense, Medicare/Medicaid, and Health Issues in the past 5 years.

Barrett Thornhill, a Partner at Forbes Tate Partners LLC, was a lobbyist for Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc. Thornhill served in the House of Representatives for approximately five years and one month across three consecutive Congresses from 2001 to 2007, and later earned a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center. The firm's team also included Sam McLean, a Senior Vice President added to Bio-Rad's account in 2025, who has prior Senate Judiciary Committee experience and worked with Senators Jim DeMint and Ted Cruz.

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