Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (Section 5) - All Filers Are Required to Complete This Page

9. Check if this filing amends a previously filed version of this report

LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.

15. General issue area code CSP

16. Specific lobbying issues

H.R. 1844/S. 878 (Arbitration Fairness Act); to prohibit mandatory, pre-dispute arbitration in consumer contracts.

General lobbying with regard to the enforceability of mandatory, predispute arbitration provisions in employment and consumer contracts, including financial consumer contracts.
(Fairness in Nursing Home Arbitration Act); draft legislation not formally introduced as of 12-31-13; relating to the use of arbitration agreements to resolve disputes involving nursing home case and nursing home contracts.

General lobbying with regard to the ability of consumers and injured parties to bring class actions, including limitations on the ability to bring class actions involving the securities industry.

H.R. 1910 (Foreign Manufacturers Legal Accountability Act); to require foreign manufacturers of products imported into the United States to establish registered agents in the United States who are authorized to accept service of process against such manufacturers, and for other purposes.

General lobbying with regard to the preemption of state causes of action involving medical device and drug manufacturers.

H.R.982 (Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency Act); to amend title 11 of the United States Code to require the public disclosure by trusts established under section 524(g) of such title, of quarterly reports that contain detailed information regarding the receipt and disposition of claims for injuries based on exposure to asbestos, and the filing of such reports with the Executive Office for United States Trustees; and specific interest in the following amendments:
H.Amd. 494 (Rep. Cohen); to exempt from the bill asbestos trusts with internal anti-fraud procedures;
H.Amd. 495(Rep. Nadler); to protect public health and safety by adding a requirement that any party seeking payment information from a trust must also make available information relevant to such action that pertains to public health or safety; and
H.Amd. 496 (Rep. Jackson-Lee); to apply the transparency rules in the bill equally to asbestos industry defendants by requiring asbestos companies to report information about the location of their asbestos-containing products.

H.R. 2746 (Innocent Sellers Fairness Act); to prevent undue disruption of interstate commerce by limiting civil actions brought against persons whose only role with regard to a product in the stream of commerce is as a lawful seller of the product.

General lobbying with regard to alternative litigation funding.

S.1009 (Chemical Safety Improvement Act of 2013); to improve the safety of consumers and modernize the Toxic Substances Control Act.

General lobbying with regard to the ongoing development of a proposed TAFTA-TTIP trade agreement, specific interest in effect the trade agreement would have on state-based causes of action.

17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S. SENATE, Federal Reserve System, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Executive Office of the President (EOP)

18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area

19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None

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LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.

15. General issue area code GOV

16. Specific lobbying issues

General lobbying with regard to proposed revisions to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

General lobbying with regard to clarifying state and federal court jurisdiction in certain cases.

H.R. 2655/S. 1288 (Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2013); to amend Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to make sanctions mandatory.

General lobbying with regard to federal judicial selection generally, not specific to any nominated candidate; except specific lobbying with regard to the nominations of Gerald ("Jerry") McHugh, Patricia Millet, Nina Pillard, and Robert Wilkins.

(PETITION Act), not formally introduced as of 12-31-2013; to protect first amendment rights of petition and free speech; specific interest in changes to federal procedural rules that would have an impact on civil litigation.

(Safer Structured Settlements Act), not formally introduced as of 12-31-2013; to establish standards for purchases of structured settlements.

H.R. 3699 (Structured Settlement Claimants Rights Act); to protect the right of a claimant in a civil action before a Federal court to retain a structured settlement broker to negotiate the terms of payment of an award.

H.R. 2919 (Open Book on Equal Access to Justice Act); to require annual reports to Congress on, and the maintenance of databases on, awards of fees and other expenses to prevailing parties in certain administrative proceedings and court cases to which the United States is a party.

General lobbying with regard to the Equal Access to Justice Act.

17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S. SENATE, Executive Office of the President (EOP)

18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area

19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None

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LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.

15. General issue area code HCR

16. Specific lobbying issues

Lobbying with regard to the implementation of the SMART Act (Public Law 112-242) generally.

H.J.Res. 59 (Bipartisan Budget Agreement); specific interest in provision that affects Medicaid Third Party Liability programs.

17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S. SENATE

18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area

19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None

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LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.

15. General issue area code TOR

16. Specific lobbying issues

Lobbying with regard to medical malpractice reform proposals generally, including issues relating to practice guidelines for providers and health courts.

H.R. 1473/S. 1769 (Standard of Care Protection Act); to prevent certain Federal health care laws from establishing health care provider standards of care.

S. 1871 (SGR Repeal and Medicare Beneficiary Access Act of 2013); specific interest in the following Senate Finance Committee amendments:
Carper-Enzi Amd. #5, filed but not offered, regarding GAO report to evaulaute reforms to reduce medical liability costs, to improve health care quality and to increase patient safety; and
Toomey-Carper Amd. #1, to enact the "Standard of Care Protection Act" to prevent certain Federal health care laws from establishing health care provider standards of care.

S.1685/H.R. 2957 (Behavioral Health Information Technology Act); to extend health information technology assistance eligibility to behavioral health, mental health, and substance abuse professionals and to limit the liability of such providers.

H.R. 3717 (Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act); specific interest in provision enacting the "Behavioral Health Information Technology Act," to extend health information technology assistance eligibility to behavioral health, mental health and substance abuse professionals and to limit the liability of such providers; and in provision limiting liability of volunteer health care providers.

H.R. 2094/S. 1503 (School Access to Emergency Epineprhine Act); specific interest in civil liability limitations for school employees/agents and prescribing physicians in relation to the administration of epinephrine.

H.R. 332 (Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act); to provide victims of gun violence access to the same civil remedies as are available to those injured through other means.

General lobbying with regard to the liabltiy of rental car companies.

17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S. SENATE

18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area

19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None

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LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.

15. General issue area code HOM

16. Specific lobbying issues

Lobbying with regard to limitations of liability and preemption of state-based causes of action as they relate to cybersecurity proposals generally.

General lobbying with regard to the SAFETY Act (Public Law 107296) and cybersecurity.
H.R. 3696 (National Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection Act); specific interest in limitations of liability, preemption of state-based causes of action, and expansions of the SAFETY Act (Public Law 107296).

17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S. SENATE

18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area

19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None

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LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.

15. General issue area code MAR

16. Specific lobbying issues

General lobbying with regard to liability in civil actions arising from maritime incidents.

General lobbying with regard to contracts of adhesion in cruise line passenger contracts.
Coast Guard Reauthorization Act, draft bill not formally introduced as of 12-31-13, specific interest in provisions regarding the treatment of foreign seamen, wage penalty statute, and responder liability under the Oil Pollution Act.

17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None

U.S. SENATE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area

19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None

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LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.

15. General issue area code CPT

16. Specific lobbying issues

H.R. 3309 (Innovation Act); to amend title 35, United States Code, and the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act to make improvements and technical corrections.

S. 1720 (Patent Transparency and Improvements Act of 2013); to promote transparency in patent ownership and make other improvements to the patent system.

H.R. 845 (Saving High-Tech Innovators from Egregious Legal Disputes Act of 2013); to amend chapter 29, United States Code, to provide for the recovery of patent litigation costs.

General lobbying with regard to patent troll proposals.

S. 1013/H.R. 2639 (Patent Abuse Reduction Act of 2013); to amend title 35, United States Code, to add procedural requirements for patent infringement suits, specific interest in provisions that would enact loser pays, mandatory sanctions, limits on discovery, or heightened pleading standards.

S. 1612 (Patent Litigation Integrity Act of 2013); to deter abusive patent litigation by targeting the economic incentives that fuel frivolous lawsuits.

S. 866 (Patent Quality Improvement Act of 2013); to make improvements to the transitional program for covered business method patents.

General lobbying with regard to patent reform proposals, specific interest in proposals that would enact loser pays, mandatory sanctions, limits on discovery, fees on discovery or heightened pleading standards.

17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S. SENATE, Executive Office of the President (EOP)

18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area

19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None

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LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.

15. General issue area code TRU

16. Specific lobbying issues

H.R. 2730 (Safe and Fair Environment on Highways Acheived through Underwriting Level Act); to amend title 49, United States Code, with respect to minimum levels of financial responsibility for the transportation of property.

17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S. SENATE

18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area

19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None

​

LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.

15. General issue area code TAX

16. Specific lobbying issues

H.R. 2509/S. 1224 (Civil Justice Tax Fairness Act of 2013); to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exclude from gross income amounts received on account of claims based on certain unlawful discrimination and to allow income averaging for backpay and frontpay awards received on account of such claims.
Lobbying with regard to the deductibility of punitive damages paid or incurred by a taxpayer, whether upon a judgment or in settlement of a claim.

Cost Recovery and Accounting Tax Reform Discussion Draft ("Baucus Proposal"), not formally introduced as of 12-31-13, specific interest in provision that mandates that certain qualified professional service firms change their method of accouting from cash to accural in order to determine taxable income.

17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S. SENATE

18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area

19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None

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Information Update Page - Complete ONLY where registration information has changed.

20. Client new address

21. Client new principal place of business (if different than line 20)

22. New General description of client’s business or activities

LOBBYIST UPDATE

23. Name of each previously reported individual who is no longer expected to act as a lobbyist for the client

ISSUE UPDATE

24. General lobbying issue that no longer pertains

AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS

25. Add the following affiliated organization(s)

Internet Address:

26. Name of each previously reported organization that is no longer affiliated with the registrant or client

FOREIGN ENTITIES

27. Add the following foreign entities:

28. Name of each previously reported foreign entity that no longer owns, or controls, or is affiliated with the registrant, client or affiliated organization