American Gas - June 2010 - (Page 5)

in the know industry insights Participating in the Political Process natural gas industry lobbying and contributions benefit customers and shareholders. These days, the title “lobbyist” has become something of a dirty word, but I, for one, am proud to be a lobbyist because it permits me to play an integral role in the development of policies that serve the citizens of our nation. The Lobbyist’s Role How do lobbyists accomplish the goals of their respective companies’ shareholders and customers? We do this by educating policymakers about our businesses and the impact that the policies they are considering would have on them. Policymakers, lawmakers in particular, work on a wide variety of issues on any given day. In the course of a single day, a member of Congress may be voting on a spending measure, attending a hearing on a health care matter and meeting with individuals concerned with foreign affairs or defense issues, so getting them to focus on our businesses and concerns can be challenging. Building relationships with policymakers is the key to familiarizing them with our issues. One key means of building relationships with policymakers is through making contributions to their campaigns. The cost of running campaigns has risen steadily in recent years. That means elected officials spend a significant amount of time raising funds to pay for the media and other communications outreach that have become essential to running a successful campaign. I should note that lobbyists take their ethical obligations, especially with respect to political contributions, very seriously. In fact, many lobbyists, including myself, are attorneys and are accustomed to comporting themselves with ethical requirements to remain in good standing. Lobbyists are required to be registered with Congress and to report their lobbying activities, as well as all political contributions made, personal or otherwise, to an appropriate regulatory body on a regular basis. We ensure that all contributions made to candidates are lawful and do so under pain of criminal prosecution. So, to be clear, there are no quid pro JOE WATSON JR. is director, The role of the lobbyist is expressly recognized in the First Amendment of the Constitution, which states that “Congress shall make no law … abridging … the right of the people peaceably … to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” As the government contemplates new laws and regulations, lobbyists, on behalf of their companies or clients, petition the government with respect to these matters. In the case of lobbyists employed by investor-owned natural gas or electric utilities, we not only represent the interests of our companies’ shareholders, we also serve the interests of our customers. The policies advanced by utilities and their lobbyists are in line with the needs of customers, in a general sense, and more specifically are geared toward keeping rates for customers low. AGA and its lobbyists, guided by the recommendations of industry executives, have, for example, advanced efforts to increase natural gas production and ensure adequate funding of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), two initiatives that directly benefit customers in the form of lower natural gas prices and economic assistance in times of need. We also have worked to maintain a relatively low taxation rate on dividends to the benefit of our shareholders. federal government affairs for Exelon Corp. AmErICAn GAS june 2010 5

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Gas - June 2010

American Gas - June 2010
Contents
President’s Message
In the Know
Industry News
Protecting Our Pipelines
AGA 2010 Membership Directory
Places to Be
Marketplace
Advertisers’ Index
Noteworthies
Jobline
Facts on Gas

American Gas - June 2010