ITT spent $350,000 in 4th qtr to lobby federal government on space, weather, defense funding

ITT spent $350,000 in 4Q to lobby federal gov’t

NEW YORK — ITT Corp. spent $350,000 during the fourth quarter to lobby the federal government on legislation funding civilian space and weather programs, defense and transportation spending and other legislation.

The $350,000 spent by the White Plains, N.Y.-based defense contractor was down slightly from the $360,000 paid to lobby the government in the third quarter, and about 60 percent from the $580,000 spent in the final quarter of 2008, according to disclosure reports.

In the final three months of 2009, ITT Corp. lobbied both houses of Congress, the departments of Defense and Transportation, the Director of National Intelligence, NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

ITT representatives also contacted the Army, Air Force and Marines and National Guard, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency.

Among the issues discussed were appropriations for space and weather programs relating to weather satellites, space telescopes and the Defense Department, NASA and NOAA budgets. ITT lobbyists also discussed FAA funding, defense procurement, economic stimulus bills and climate change legislation, specifically as it relates to water and wastewater infrastructure funding and carbon emissions measurement.

Business tax issues and the Employee Free Choice Act were also on the agenda.

Dugan Phaedra, who previously worked for former Sen. John Ashcroft, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, Rep. Candice Mill and the House Foreign Affairs Commission, is among those registered to lobby for ITT.