Why It Matters

The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition has maintained an active lobbying presence for years, running both in-house and outside lobbying operations. But the addition of Glover Park Group expands its external lobbying capacity at a moment when the issues it cares about most, namely international development funding, global health programs, and foreign operations appropriations, are under significant pressure.

The coalition group already retains BGR Government Affairs LLC and Holland & Knight LLP as outside firms, in addition to its in-house lobbying operation. Adding a third firm deepens a lobbying bench that is already oriented heavily toward foreign affairs and appropriations.

By the Numbers

The coalition's lobbying activity report for the prior year reflects a substantial investment across its lobbying operation:

The in-house team includes registered lobbyists Ariana Reks, Rachel Hugman, and Sarah Callaway.

At BGR, the lobbying team includes Kirsten Madison, John Walker Roberts, Hunter Strupp, Maya Seiden, Les Munson III, and Nick Iarossi.

Holland & Knight's team includes Kathryn Lehman, Paul Stimers, Sean McGlynn, Dimitri Karakitsos, Bella Linden, Dennis Potter, Karl Koch, and Todd Wooten.

The new Glover Park Group registration lists Lindsay Plack as the sole lobbyist on the disclosure filing. No specific issues or dollar amounts were listed in the amendment.

The Agenda

The coalition's lobbying activity over the past year has centered on two issue areas: budget and appropriations, and foreign relations. Specific legislation cited in prior filings includes H.R.4, the Rescissions Act of 2025, the FY2026 State Department and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill, and H.R.5371, the continuing appropriations measure that passed in late 2025.

BGR's filings describe the firm's role as providing "strategic counsel and advice on international funding issues." Holland & Knight's filings reference lobbying on international development and global health policy and funding.

Broader Context

The lobbying activity comes against a backdrop of sweeping reductions to U.S. foreign assistance. H.R.4, when it became law, rescinded $9.4 billion in previously appropriated funds from the State Department, USAID, and related agencies. Al Jazeera, citing OECD data, said the United States drove three-quarters of the global decline in official development assistance in 2025.

The Center for Global Development reported that U.S. official development assistance fell by 56.9 percent from 2024 levels. Congress ultimately passed a Consolidated Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2026, allocating $50 billion for foreign aid, a 16 percent cut from fiscal year 2025, according to NPR. That's far less than the administration had proposed cutting, but still a significant reduction.

CNN reported that a study published in The Lancet projected global aid cuts could contribute to 9.4 million deaths by 2030.

Between the Lines

On April 23, 2026, just days before the Glover Park Group registration was filed, the House Appropriations Committee held a hearing on the fiscal year 2027 National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs bill.

Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL) testified that the proposed bill "is pulling back at exactly the wrong time," citing cumulative cuts of more than $14 billion over four years. She noted the bill "eliminates funding for the United Nations and UN peacekeeping" and "claws back $1 billion in humanitarian assistance."

On April 21, 2026, Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) raised concerns at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, citing a Lancet report projecting 9.4 million deaths by 2030 if current foreign aid trends continue.

Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) posted in November 2025 about meeting with the coalition to discuss job creation, innovation, and global competitiveness. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) posted in June 2025 about visiting with coalition members. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) posted in August 2025 about participating in a panel hosted by the coalition in Erie, Pennsylvania.

The Bottom Line

The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition is expanding its lobbying operation at a moment when the policy landscape for international development funding is shifting rapidly. Adding Glover Park Group brings a third outside firm into a lobbying effort already backed by substantial in-house resources and two established firms with deep foreign affairs and appropriations experience. The coalition's core issues are squarely at the center of ongoing congressional and executive branch debates over the scope of U.S. global engagement.

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