S. 4000 is a bill that aims to prevent the Secretary of Transportation from entering into contracts or providing grants to organizations that use or buy light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology from specific foreign entities. The bill is focused on national security and protecting sensitive technology from foreign influence.
Supporters of S. 4000 argue that the bill is a necessary step to safeguard U.S. infrastructure and technology from potential espionage and foreign threats. They emphasize the importance of ensuring that critical technologies, like LiDAR, are not compromised by foreign entities, which could pose risks to national security.
Critics of S. 4000 express concerns that the bill could hinder innovation and collaboration in the technology sector. They argue that it may create unnecessary barriers for U.S. companies that rely on international partnerships and could lead to increased costs and delays in transportation projects. Some also worry about the potential for overreach in defining which foreign entities are restricted.
Based on the available data, there appears to be no direct overlap or conflict of interest between the sponsor's top donor industries and the subject matter of the bill. The bill is focused on prohibiting the Secretary of Transportation from dealing with entities that use or procure light detection and ranging technology from certain foreign entities. The top donor industries for the sponsor, Ted Budd, are Retired, Securities & Investment, and Government, none of which have a direct connection to the bill's subject matter. Furthermore, there is no disclosed lobbying activity from these industries in relation to this bill's policy area. Therefore, the risk of a conflict of interest is low.
Organizations that lobbied on issues related to this bill's policy area.
| Client | Lobbying Firm | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| NAIOP | NAIOP | $378,112 |
| ID.ME, LLC | ID.ME, LLC | $280,000 |
| HEALTHCARE INSTITUTE OF NEW JERSEY | HEALTHCARE INSTITUTE OF NEW JERSEY | $50,973 |
| JOHNSTOWN-CAMBRIA COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY & CAMBRIAN HILLS DEVELOPMENT GROUP | CASSIDY & ASSOCIATES, INC. | $50,000 |
| GHOST ROBOTICS CORPORATION | CASSIDY & ASSOCIATES, INC. | $50,000 |
| GEISSELE AUTOMATICS | CASSIDY & ASSOCIATES, INC. | $50,000 |
| PJM INTERCONNECTION LLC | PJM INTERCONNECTION, LLC | $50,000 |
| HOWMET | CASSIDY & ASSOCIATES, INC. | $40,000 |
| PAUL MITCHELL ADVANCED EDUCATION | CASSIDY & ASSOCIATES, INC. | $40,000 |
| ISSA | ISSA | $10,000 |
| NATIONAL COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYERS | NATIONAL COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYERS | undisclosed |
| NATIONAL COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYERS | NATIONAL COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYERS | undisclosed |
| NORTH AMERICAN INSULATION MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION | NORTH AMERICAN INSULATION MANUFACTURERS ASSOC. | undisclosed |
| RESTAURANT BRANDS INTERNATIONAL US SERVICES LLC | RESTAURANT BRANDS INTERNATIONAL US SERVICES LLC | undisclosed |
| NATIONAL MOBILITY EQUIPMENT DEALERS ASSOCIATION | NATIONAL MOBILITY EQUIPMENT DEALERS ASSOCIATION | undisclosed |
Source: Senate Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) filings, 2026
Top industries funding Ted Budd, ranked by total contributions.
Source: OpenSecrets.org (Center for Responsive Politics)
