Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers
This association of vehicle manufacturers includes BMW Group, Chrysler Group, Ford Motor Co., General Motors, Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz USA, Mitsubishi Motors, Porsche, Toyota and Volkswagen Group of America.

What They Want
The alliance's top priority is to make sure legislation maintains "a single national program for regulating greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles," said spokesman Charles Territo.

In May, President Obama proposed a nationwide regulation that would mandate a 5 percent annual increase in fuel efficiency from 2012 to 2016 and bring new cars up to a 35.5 mpg average by 2016. The alliance supports that type of industry-wide regulation because it's "essential" to boosting fuel economy and keeps auto companies located in different states on the same plane, Territo said. The association is working to make sure final legislation doesn't eliminate or change Obama's proposal.

The group also wants to see emissions allowances given to the auto industry for research and development of new technologies, expansion of alternative fuel infrastructure and establishment of consumer incentives.

Deal Breakers
The alliance is concerned about the potential inclusion of flexible fuel vehicle mandates in legislation. The mandates have been mentioned as possible amendments in the Senate. The association also opposed the mandates ahead of the House's climate change legislation vote.

"FFV mandates will divert important limited resources away from the development of other advanced vehicle technologies," wrote President and CEO Dave McCurdy in a May letter to the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

How Much They've Spent
The alliance spent about $4.4 million on all lobbying activities in the first nine months of 2009, compared to $4.9 million in the first nine months of 2008, according to lobbying disclosure forms. The forms do not break down lobbying expenditures by topic, and the group has lobbied on non-energy-related issues.

The alliance does not have a PAC, but the automobile manufacturers industry has donated $242,559 to federal candidates and committees during the 2010 election cycle after giving about $2.7 million during the 2008 cycle. The industry's donations were almost evenly split between Democrats and Republicans in the 2008 election cycle, but during this cycle, 66 percent of contributions have gone to Democrats, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

The alliance's total revenue for 2007 was $37.3 million, according to IRS forms.

Key Players
McCurdy testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee in April, saying, "Automakers are committed to doing our part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the vehicles we sell and from our assembly plants. We understand that our economic viability continues to depend on innovation, and we plan to be ahead of the curve."

Prior to joining the alliance in 2007, McCurdy was a Democratic congressman for Oklahoma's 4th District. He was chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and subcommittees on transportation and military installations.

McCurdy and others from the alliance have met with representatives and senators, particularly members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Territo said.

McCurdy is not currently a registered lobbyist, though he was registered in his first year as the alliance's president. Shane Karr, vice president of government and international affairs, leads a team of three registered lobbyists.

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