INTEREST GROUP STRATEGIES| 241As these descriptions indicate, interest groups place a high priority on main-
taining access to their lobbying targets, on being able to present their arguments,
regardless of whether they expect to get what they want. Of course, groups want to
achieve their policy goals, but access is the fi rst step that makes persuasion pos-
sible. Therefore, many interest groups try to keep their eff orts low-key, providing
information to friends and opponents alike, avoiding threats or harsh words, in the
hope that they will leave a favorable impression and be able to gain access the next
time they want to lobby. After all, people who oppose a group’s current priorities
one day may agree with them on some future issue.
In their eff orts at direct lobbying, interest groups contact elected offi cials, mem-
bers of the president’s staff , and bureaucrats in the executive branch. They seek this
wide range of contacts because diff erent offi cials play distinct roles in the policy-
making process and thus have various types of infl uence. Members of Con g ress shape
legislation and budgets; members of the president’s staff infl uence the formation
of new policies and obtain presidential consent for new laws; and executive branch
bureaucrats change the ways regulations are written and policies are implemented.
DRAFTING LEGISLATION AND REGULATIONS
Interest groups sometimes draft legislative proposals and regulations, which they
deliver to legislators and bureaucrats as part of their lobbying eff orts.^22 Interest
groups don’t give proposals to just anyone. As with direct lobbying, they seek out
legislators who already support their cause and who have signifi cant infl uence
within Congress. For example, a lobbying eff ort aimed at cutting interest rates
on student loans would target supporters of this change who are also members
of the congressional committee with jurisdiction over student loan programs—
preferably someone who chairs the committee or one of its subcommittees.^23 Inter-
est groups also lobby bureaucrats to infl uence the details of new regulations.^24 If
the type of regulations involved can go into eff ect without congressional approval,
then lobbying can give groups what they want directly. If new regulations require
approva l by Cong ress or W h ite House sta ff , then interest groups can increase their
chances of success by getting involved in the initial drafting.RESEARCH
Interest groups often prepare research reports on topics of interest to the group.
For example, Public Citizen recently featured on its website a series of research
reports on topics such as medical malpractice, the house building
industry, toy safety, and international trade.^25 Such reports may
sway public opinion or help persuade elected offi cials or bureau-
crats. They also help interest group staff claim expertise on some
aspect of public policy. Members of Congress are more likely to
accept a group’s legislative proposal if they think that the group’s
staff have solid research to back up their claims. Journalists are
also more likely to respond to an interest group’s requests for pub-
licity if they think that the group’s staff has viable evidence sup-
porting their claims.HEARINGS
Interest group staff often testify before congressional committees.
In part, this activity seeks to inform members of Congress about
issues that matter to the group. For example, the NR A’s websiteTHE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES
Union is an interest group that
often uses litigation strategies in
its efforts to change government
policy. Here, an ACLU attorney
describes the group’s efforts to
limit the Department of Homeland
Security’s use of “no fl y lists” to
screen airline passengers.