Lawmakers Sound Sympathetic to Internet Group

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In a sign that Internet giants will help drive the agenda in Washington, more than half a dozen lawmakers representing both sides of the aisle today paid homage to the $8 trillion annual Internet industry -- a part of the economy no lawmaker wants to disrupt, let alone upset.

Some of Congress' biggest names, including House minority whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House oversight chairman Darrell Issa (D-CA), either praised the Internet economy or connected their pet issues to the Internet during a set of panels sponsored by The Internet Association. It was a remarkable show of influence for a new association. Formed late last year, the group counts among its members web giants such as Google and Facebook. Both companies have upped their lobbying game, bending the ears of Congress. Google last year spent nearly $16.5 million on such efforts, a 70 percent increase from 2011. In the same period, Facebook's lobbying spending jumped 196 percent to nearly $4 million.


Lawmakers Sound Sympathetic to Internet Group