Practice Areas & Industries: Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC

Practice/Industry Group Overview
Clients across the country rely on Buchanan Ingersoll's Government Relations Group to ensure they have the strongest possible voice in the development of policy, legislation and regulations at both the state and federal government levels. We are particularly effective for three main reasons: our people, our strong client relationships, and our ability to understand the issues from multiple perspectives. The professionals in our group possess years of experience as advocates and public officials, and most importantly, firsthand knowledge of the intricate processes by which government operates. Our group includes former members of state legislatures; former members of the governor's Cabinet and staff; former members of the U.S. House of Representatives; former White House and congressional staffers; and former high-ranking military officials. They all continually strive to build and maintain current professional relationships and keep the lines of communication open with all facets of government. Communication with clients is another key element of our effectiveness. Whenever possible, we provide our clients with an "early reporting" alert to potential new legislation or regulations before decisions are finalized. In this way, not only do we eliminate surprises for clients ¿ we also create access to the process. We can arrange meetings with key policymakers and legislators in statehouses, on Capitol Hill and at the Pentagon. Our Government Relations team also assists clients with introducing legislation, arranging for testimony before legislative panels and procuring media coverage. By combining our knowledge of how government works with our understanding of client issues and concerns, we have built a reputation for crafting win-win solutions ¿ that is, those that result in not only positive outcomes for our clients, but also reasonable public policy choices for decision makers. During the past year our most significant challenge has been to protect funding for a number of clients who receive support from state governments while protecting other interests from new tax initiatives. On the federal level, the increased interest in homeland security and national defense presented new business opportunities at the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services, and Homeland Security, as well as with the National Security Agency (NSA). Our services include: ¿:: Providing background information to clients and key policy makers about the potential impact of proposed legislation or regulations. ¿:: Clearly and effectively communicating our clients' concerns to government. ¿:: Drafting legislation. ¿:: Testifying before legislative committees and regulatory hearings. ¿:: Drafting and distributing position papers for clients. ¿:: Monitoring the General Assembly and providing clients with daily updates. ¿:: Procuring media coverage. Pennsylvania Our Pennsylvania Government Relations practice is the largest of its kind in the state. Our Pennsylvania principals have held positions at the highest levels of state government, including former members of the House of Representatives and former members of the governor's Cabinet and staff. In addition, they are joined by a group of partners in the Harrisburg office who have served as chief counsels of the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare and as key staff members in the Legislature. Most recently, the Harrisburg team achieved significant results in the final days of the 2004 Legislative Session before the summer break. Its accomplishments include: ¿:: Securing final passage of the slots at racetracks legislation. ¿:: Delaying an attempt to create a tax-free zone for the Central Business District of Philadelphia for Comcast. ¿:: Restoration of funding for local development agencies. ¿:: New powers for industrial development corporations under the Redevelopment Capital Assistance Program. ¿:: An increase in appropriations for Children's Institute. ¿:: Securing annual state funding for the Philadelphia Flower Show. ¿:: Securing new annual funding mechanism for Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. ¿:: Re-establishing funding for two rural health care initiatives for Geisinger Health System. ¿:: Movement of legislation on behalf of the Pennsylvania Ski Owners Association. ¿:: New vaccine notification legislation on behalf of Merck. Some of the key 2003 accomplishments for Pennsylvania include: ¿:: Securing $5 million in capital budget spending for "green" (environment-friendly) building technology for Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. ¿:: Securing an additional $500,000 in previously reduced budget funds for the support of the statewide poison control hotlines managed by Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. ¿:: Participating as one of the lead strategists in shaping the PACE/PACE NET expansions in prescription benefits for low-income people on behalf of our client Merck. ¿:: Restoring for our client, the largest issuer of money orders in the United States, a historic seven-year waiting period before unused money orders revert to the state. ¿:: Deterring the Pennsylvania Legislature from enacting a new gross-receipts tax on professional sports franchises for our clients the Philadelphia Phillies and Comcast/Spectacor (the Flyers and 76ers). :: Preventing new taxes on poured drinks on behalf of our clients the Pennsylvania Beer Wholesalers and a consortium of sports and entertainment entities in Philadelphia. :: Preventing an expansion of the state business tax to address the so-called "Delaware holding company" loophole that reduces state tax obligations on behalf of clients Merck, Sony and Hershey Foods. ¿:: Securing state funding for capital expenditures (and are expecting approval of federal funding for programs) for the Harrisburg YMCA. ¿:: Securing an additional $100 million in tax-exempt bond financing to support the construction of an electric generation facility on behalf of Reliant Energy; total funding secured in 2002 and 2003 is $500 million. ¿:: Positioning client Great West Life Insurance to successfully compete for multimillion-dollar state employment retirement systems deferred compensation contract. ¿:: Securing Edison Schools' role in providing education alternatives in Philadelphia, reversing an attempt to terminate Edison and resulting in a two-year commitment from the district to fund Edison-managed schools. ¿:: Securing legislation on behalf of client Allegheny County, PA, codifying the county's right to sell tax liens to third parties, saving the county up to $45 million. ¿:: On behalf of Bucks County Water and Sewer Authority, helping to enact legislation providing adequate per capital gallonage standard for new home construction as well as enforcement mechanism to police system for sources of unregulated water infiltration. ¿:: Securing $780,000 appropriation for Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. ¿:: Protecting Automatic Data Processing, Inc.'s (ADP) long-term deductible policy in the Reliant Liquidation legislation, saving approximately $55 million in additional costs. ¿:: Preventing a proposal for a taxpayer supported health club that would have been in competition with both profit and not-for-profit organizations. Washington, D.C. Because of our prior government service, Buchanan Ingersoll's Washington, D.C., Government Relations Group is particularly able to help clients navigate the rough and murky waters of Washington. We are well positioned to not only address our clients' challenges, but also to present to our clients opportunities that arise as a result of the federal government process. We provide lobbying services, advocacy counseling, federal funding and procurement assistance, and legislative counseling. In addition, we act as the client's voice in the development of federal legislation and policy that may affect them. Some of the key 2003 accomplishments for Washington, D.C., include: ¿:: Continuing to help position Al-Najat, a consortium of hospital groups from several countries, to build and operate medical facilities in Iraq, as well as supply training for medical professionals there. We helped them identify who the players would be in a successful consortium, then helped them scout opportunities as Iraq rebuilds. The firm also introduced Al-Najat to our contacts in the U.S. Congress and in Iraq. ¿:: Helping Randolph Engineering Inc., a Massachusetts company, reopen a $6 million contract for military aviation sunglasses to competitive bid. We publicized in the media the Defense Department's decision to sole-source the contract and used our contacts in military and legislative circles to further draw attention to the exclusion of our client, among others, from this large public contract. Within a few weeks, the U.S. Senate reopened the contract for bidding. New York In 2003, Buchanan Ingersoll began a government relations practice at its New York City office. The emphasis of the new practice is lobbying in the New York State Legislature. Some of the key 2003 accomplishments for New York City include: ¿:: School Bus Safety - Legislation was introduced pursuant to Buchanan Ingersoll's efforts in the New York State Legislature to mandate that all new school buses in New York be equipped with a fire suppression device. This device has proven tremendously successful in stopping fires in the engine compartment so that the flames do not reach the children in their seats. This proposed law has widespread support in both the State Senate and Assembly and hopefully will pass soon. ¿:: Reform New York Crime Victims Board - A young boy witnessed a shooting and played a key role in prosecuting the murderer. However, due to technical flaws in the New York law for compensating witnesses of crimes, his request for assistance for educational funding was denied by the State Crime Victims Board. Buchanan Ingersoll represented the boy during the administrative process and used this experience to help draft reform legislation. In June 2004, this legislation passed both the State Senate and Assembly and is awaiting the governor's signature. ¿:: Defending Property Taxpayers - Buchanan Ingersoll has helped oppose a proposed law that would erase a decade of reform by allowing the private sale of property tax liens. The current State law protects property taxpayers from abuses that occur from property tax lien sales and mandates the responsible collection of property taxes. :: Successfully helping to defeat proposed federal legislation deemed harmful to our client, Magellan Health Services. ¿:: Funding for Not-for-Profits - Buchanan Ingersoll has successfully lobbied to help obtain critically needed State funding for civic organizations such as health care clinics and legal aid for the poor. :: Changed tariff legislation to the benefit of our client Reference Metals, a supplier to the steel industry. :: Securing $10 million in federal funding for ChemImage, a Pennsylvania start-up that produces instrumentation that identifies pathogens and contamination through molecular analysis. Florida Our Florida Government Relations group has built strong professional relationships that provide our clients with direct access to key decision makers in the Florida legislature, the governor's office and executive agencies and departments. By maintaining open lines of communications, we are often on the front lines of proposed rule changes or new legislation, and so able to give our clients a strong voice in the process. This also translates into providing clients with opportunities that arise as a result of state government processes. Some of the key 2003 accomplishments for Florida include: ¿:: Obtaining a request for federal disaster aid from the governor of Florida for American Media Inc. when its Boca Raton, FL, offices were closed because of anthrax contamination in the fall of 2001. Although AMI ultimately did not meet the criteria for federal aid, the government did provide investigative support through the EPA, FBI, CIA and CDC, as well as state and local agencies. Because so many agencies became involved, Buchanan Ingersoll served as a point of contact for the company and helped coordinate investigative efforts. ¿:: Assisted in getting federal approval of Florida's state Medicaid plan amendments, particularly the upper limit payment program. This program allows states to expand or enhance reimbursement without expanding eligibility. We helped advise state agencies as to how to approach the federal government, which benefited hospitals, physician groups and medical schools who are our clients and who treat the uninsured and underinsured in Florida. ¿:: Secured $250 million in special Medicaid payments on behalf of six statutory teaching hospitals in Florida. ¿:: Secured the reenactment of the local option sales tax for health services, with favorable results, using certificate of need legislation on behalf of our client Tampa General Hospital.

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