American League of Lobbyists - Press: Background on the League

Background on the League

Established in 1979, the mission of the American League of Lobbyists is to

Enhance the development of professionalism, competence and high ethical standards for advocates in the public policy arena;
Collectively address challenges which affect the First Amendment right to "petition the government for redress of grievances";
Promote ethical lobbying through its Lobbying Code of Ethics; and
Increase the knowledge and professional competency of lobbyists through programs such as the Lobbying Certificate Program.

Membership in ALL is open to government affairs professionals working at the federal, state and local levels. Each prospective member must agree in writing to subscribe to ALL's Code of Ethics.

Our 1200 members are advocates for the full spectrum of American society. Businesses, labor unions, schools, teachers, charities, hospitals, churches, retailers, consumers, veterans, children, the elderly, environmentalists — each of these interests has a paid or volunteer advocate in Washington, DC and in each of the capitals of the 50 states. Professional lobbyists play a legitimate and necessary role in our representative system of government. We make it possible for those whose interests we advocate to have their voices hear in Congress. Even the most diligent of elected officials does not have the time to become an expert on many of the issues they confront them. They and their staff aides rely on lobbyists to help them understand those issues. Often they hear from lobbyists representing opposing views. Then they vote based on their informed decision about the course that best meets the interests of their constituents. Public officials cannot make fair and informed decisions without considering information from a broad range of interested parties and experts. All sides of an issue must be explored in order to produce equitable government policies, and lobbyists are a key element of that process.

Howard Marlowe is the first person in the League's history to serve two separate terms as president: the first from 1988-89, and the second beginning in 2011. He has set a series of ambitious goals for ALL:

Increasing the effectiveness of federal laws requiring lobbyists to register with Congress and disclose who they work for, how much they are being paid to lobby, and the issues they are working on.
Expanding the awareness of the media and public of the important role professional lobbyists play in our representative system of government.
Providing more opportunities for lobbyists to improve their skills and knowledge.
Mentoring young professionals who want to enter or advance within the lobbying profession.
Giving back to the community through the support of charities that benefit children and others in need.

The American League of Lobbyists is the sole national organization dedicated to advancing the lobbying profession. In these challenging times, ALL enables lobbyists to have a strong voice to defend and advance the needs of our profession.