Immigration Bill Loaded With Goodies For Defense Contractors

A Washington Post report about the goodies for defense contractors in the the immigration bill that the Senate passed last week sent us digging through some of our favorite databases for clues. Just what inspired the lawmakers to make the unusual move of explicitly designating the expensive equipment the government should buy with the $4.5 billion the bill authorizes for beefed up border security.

The bill’s unusually specific language means four defense contractors will not have to deal with the uncertainties associated with the standard bidding process for federal contracts. While it won't be known until late July if these companies will report lobbying on the Senate bill (that's when their quarterly lobbying reports are due), Influence Explorer data reveals that all are serious players on K Street and major contributors of campaign cash. Here's the lowdown.

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