Lobbying reports highlight focus on health care rules, calorie-count laws

Dec 14 2011

The Associated Press reports on third-quarter lobbying expenses for McDonald's and Starbucks.

The Associated Press: McDonald's Spent $460,000 Lobbying In 3Q
The world's biggest burger chain lobbied Congress, the White House, the Department of Labor and the Department of Health and Human Services on the sweeping health care changes that were signed into law in March 2010. In general the new health care rules will require more companies to offer health care insurance to employees. McDonald's also homed in on a part in the law that would require more restaurants to add calorie information to their menus (12/13).

The Associated Press: Starbucks Spent $110,000 Lobbying In 3Q
Starbucks said it lobbied Congress, the White House, the Treasury and the Department of Health and Human Services on last year's sweeping health care reform law, which is gradually being implemented. Among other measures, the law would require more companies to offer health care to employees. Starbucks said it also was interested in a section of the bill that would require more restaurants to add calorie information to their menus. And it said it was interested in the development of health information technologies, which usually refers to products like electronic health records (12/13).