Religious Lobbying Groups Have Dramatically Increased In Washington

Religious Lobbying Groups Have Dramatically Increased In Washington November 22, 2011

by Jaweed Kaleem
Huffington Post

With heated nation-wide arguments in recent years over issues ranging from same-sex marriage to abortion rights, it’s no secret that religious organizations play a significant role in influencing the nation’s policies.
Now, a new study shows just how big and expansive the “religious lobby” has become.
According to a study released Monday by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life, religious lobbying and religion-related advocacy organizations have grown fivefold, from less than 40 in 1970 to more than 200 today. The organizations, which range from the influential United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to smaller Hindu and Sikh organizations, together spend $390 million per year advocating on about 300 domestic and international issues, from bioethics and moral issues to economic and poverty concerns.

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