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Ű June 19, 2017
This piece was published in the 27th print volume of the Asian American Policy Review.
Despite its dubious reputation, lobbying has evolved into a platform for minority interest groups to voice their concerns. By leveraging this "fourth branch of government," racially affiliated minority interest groups directly appeal and advocate to members of Congress. Organizations like the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) have fought for the civil rights of African Americans since the early 1900s and now annually lobby on dozens of bills.[1] Similarly, the National Council de La Raza (NCLR) fights for the rights of Latino Americans through constant advocacy on Capitol Hill.[2] As the fastest-growing minority in America within the last ten years, and with 13.2 percent of all Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) still living in poverty, AAPIs need to advocate for and promote the wellbeing of their underserved communities.[3] Federal lobbying provides minority interest groups an opportunity to educate the country's most powerful policy decision makers on the concerns facing minority communities. Without a unified voice on Capitol Hill, the AAPI community risks erasure of their struggles and a continued false assumption that AAPIs require no political or social support.
This piece will provide a definition of lobbying, an overview of two historic AAPI advocacy groups, a survey of current AAPI-affiliated lobbying activity from the late 1990s to now, and a look into the future lobbying considerations for AAPIs. By examining the historic origins and current state of AAPI lobbying, AAPI advocates can identify barriers and opportunities for refining lobbying practices at the federal level.
Lobbying: Definitions and Disclosures
Information on current lobbying activity comes from the Center of Responsive Politics' online database, OpenSecrets, which captures federal lobbying information recorded by the Senate office of public records. The Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) of 1995 defines lobbying activities as any oral, written, or electronic communication to a covered official.[4] Under the LDA, individuals who retain a client for compensation, make more than one contact, write or speak with a covered official about legislation or policy making, or spend at least 20 percent of their time lobbying in the next six months, must register as a lobbyist.[5] An organization is considered a lobbying firm if their...