Lobbyists no longer need to report some of their spending to the Commerce Department
What happened
The Commerce Department is removing two reporting requirements for lobbyists. This means lobbyists will no longer have to disclose certain activities to the department.
Why it matters
The US government has rules about how much lobbying activity must be reported. This change makes those rules slightly less strict for the Commerce Department. It removes some of the paperwork burden for companies and organizations that lobby the department.
The signal
Watch for similar changes from other federal agencies, which would signal a broader trend of reducing transparency requirements for lobbying.