Shoe Group Kicks $870,000 to Lobbying

It spent more than $435,000 in the second half of 2007 to lobby the federal government, according to a disclosure form posted online Feb. 4 by the Senate's public records office.

The trade group lobbied on numerous issues and legislation, including international trade, intellectual property, child labor, taxes and others. The trade group spent $432,000 in the first six months of 2007 to lobby on the same issues.

The group is also part of a coalition of footwear makers and retailers trying to end a U.S. government-imposed import tariffs on shoes that can run as high as 67.5 percent a pair. The coalition contends eliminating taxes for all children's shoes and other categories would save money for lower-income families and boost the footwear industry's flat sales.

Beside Congress, the group whose members include Wolverine World Wide Inc., Liz Claiborne Inc. and Perry Ellis International Inc. lobbied the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Homeland Security, Treasury, State and Commerce departments, among other agencies.

Nate Herman, a former Commerce Department official, and Courtney Kurt, who was legislative assistant with Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., were among those lobbying for the trade group.

Lobbyists are required to disclose activities that could influence members of the executive and legislative branches, under a federal law enacted in 1995.