Why It Matters

Duracell Co. registered Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP as its lobbying firm on July 17 for Manufacturing and Trade issues. The battery maker is lobbying on manufacturing and trade issues as the Trump administration's tariff regime reshapes costs across the industry.

The firm assigned two lobbyists to the account: Elizabeth Horner, a Partner at the firm, and Abbey Buchholz.

Broader Context

Chinese lithium-ion batteries now face a combined tariff rate of 82%, a combination that includes a 3.4% global duty, a Section 301 tariff rising to 25%, and additional tariffs. For manufacturers relying on Chinese components, import costs have risen as much as 69% since January 2025. On February 20, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down sweeping tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), and a $166 billion refund pool has been opened for affected importers.

The first three months of 2025 saw cancellations of billions of dollars in planned battery cell-manufacturing investment across the U.S., with one analyst arguing that Trump's tariffs on China may knock the fledgling U.S. battery industry off course. On February 20, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down sweeping tariffs imposed under IEEPA, holding that the president lacked authority to impose tariffs under that statute, even as Section 301 tariffs remain in place and as of July 24, Section 122 expired and was replaced by a Section 301 forced-labor tariff. Section 232 tariffs on imported steel, aluminum, and derivative articles were expanded.

The Bottom Line

Elizabeth Horner has committee experience with the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in the 115th, 116th, 117th, and 118th Congresses. Buchholz has prior government experience, having worked as a Correspondence Assistant for Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA). Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP has represented 11 clients over the past year and filed 36 lobbying disclosures.

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