Lobbying is a powerful force in U.S. politics, but the extent to which it shapes policies in the country is often little-known among the general public. To get an initial feel for the subject, this infographic uses figures from OpenSecrets, a nonprofit that tracks data on campaign financing and lobbying, to present the organizations that spent the most money on buying influence in DC so far this year.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce spent the most between January 1 and March 31, 2026 at $20.22 million. The organization has a long history of lobbying, having spent over $2 billion between 1998 and 2026 - by far the most of any group in the United States.
The National Association of Realtors follows in second place at $15.53 million. It also comes second when looking at total spending between 1998 and 2026 with over $1 billion.
In third position is the Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America at $12.3 million.
Tech giant Meta appeared in ninth position at $7.08 million, while Amazon is in 12th position with $4.83 million and Alphabet in 17th position at $4.14 million.
In 2026 so far, the top issues that organizations are lobbying for are Fed Budget & Appropriations with 4,579 lobbyists, defense with 2,552 lobbyists, health issues with 3,484 lobbyists, taxes with 3,810 lobbyists and trade with 3,059 lobbyists.
