Why It Matters
General Motors Co. is lobbying on the Connected Vehicle Security Act as Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) cited the bill in a July 24 press release welcoming GM's $157 million investment in its Wentzville, Missouri plant. The Connected Vehicle Security Act would prohibit the importation, manufacture, and sale of connected vehicles and related hardware and software associated with China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea.
By the Numbers
GM's in-house third-quarter 2026 report lists $3,560,000 in lobbying expenses. That is up $100,000 from $3,460,000 in the second quarter of 2026, and down $1,400,000 from $4,960,000 in the third quarter of 2025.
The in-house filing names eight lobbyists: Noel Perez; Hollyn Schuemann, with House Energy and Commerce Committee experience in the 107th and 108th Congresses; Liz Griffin, government relations director with House Armed Services Committee experience; Tomás Delgado, with member experience listed for Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and prior government experience; Kyle Shelly; Joe Guzzo, who lists member experience with Rep. Steven LaTourette (R-OH-14) and prior government experience; Omar Vargas; and Eric Feldman, who has prior government experience and member experience with Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY-17).
Broader Context
H.R. 8730 was introduced by Rep. John R. Moolenaar (R-MI-2), and lobbying filings pair it with the Senate bill S. 4429. Sen. Schmitt cited his co-sponsorship of the bill in his July 24 press release, crediting it with supporting GM's Wentzville plant investment.
Lobbying filings by other clients name H.R. 4361 and S. 1711, the STOP China Act, which would bar federal transportation assistance from funding rolling stock or powertrain components from companies under China's influence. The Alliance for American Manufacturing said it supported the measure, citing Chinese subsidies and non-market practices as making it difficult for U.S. transit-vehicle manufacturers to compete.
S. 1379, the REPAIR Act, sponsored by Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), has had no action since its April 9, 2025 introduction; it would give vehicle owners the right to repair their cars at independent shops. The CAR Coalition backed it, citing a poll showing more than 83 percent of Americans support the act; the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) urged Congress to oppose it, arguing expanded third-party access could create cybersecurity risks. H.R. 7389, the Motor Vehicle Modernization Act, would reform how the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regulates vehicle safety.
The filing discloses lobbying on tariffs, non-tariff trade barriers, and the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) review. The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) opened public comment on the 2027 USMCA joint review on Oct. 2, and a Congressional Research Service (CRS) report dated Sept. 29 noted the United States and Canada had not announced official negotiations as of that date.
Competitive Landscape
Organizations also lobbying H.R. 8730 include North American Subaru Inc., Volkswagen Group of America Inc., Toyota Motor North America Inc., the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, and Mercedes-Benz USA LLC.
Organizations also lobbying S. 1379 include Toyota Motor North America Inc., the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Volkswagen Group of America Inc., NADA, and the American Property Casualty Insurance Association.
Organizations also lobbying H.R. 7389 include North American Subaru Inc., Consumer Reports Inc., Samsung SDI America Inc., the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, and NADA.
The Bottom Line
The most immediate item to watch is H.R. 8730 and its Senate companion S. 4429, the bills GM's lobbying filings tie to the connected vehicle issue. USTR opened public comment on the 2027 USMCA joint review in an Oct. 2 announcement and said it would convene a public hearing.
Across complete quarters, GM's in-house fees have trended down from a first-quarter 2026 peak.
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