S. 4532 is a bill that seeks to amend the Small Business Act to include smoke as a factor in the definition of disaster. This change would allow small businesses affected by smoke from wildfires or other events to access disaster relief resources and assistance.
Supporters of S. 4532 argue that including smoke in the disaster definition recognizes the significant impact that smoke can have on small businesses, particularly in regions prone to wildfires. They believe this bill will provide much-needed relief and support for affected business owners, helping them recover and sustain their operations during challenging times.
Critics of S. 4532 raise concerns that expanding the definition of disaster to include smoke could lead to an overreach of federal disaster assistance, potentially straining resources. They argue that this could create a precedent for other non-traditional disasters, complicating the disaster relief process and diverting funds from more severe disaster situations.
The analysis of bill S. 4532, which seeks to include smoke in the definition of disaster in the Small Business Act, reveals no direct industry overlaps between the sponsor, Catherine Cortez Masto, and her top donor industries. While there is lobbying activity in the policy area, the contributions from these entities do not appear to create a direct conflict with the bill's subject matter. For instance, BAMCO LLC contributed $110,000 and the American Academy of Pediatrics contributed $10,000, but neither of these organizations has a clear connection to smoke-related disasters. The absence of overlapping interests suggests that the risk of conflict is minimal. Voters should be aware that while lobbying exists, it does not necessarily indicate a conflict of interest in this case.
Organizations that lobbied on issues related to this bill's policy area.
| Client | Lobbying Firm | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BAMCO LLC | CHECKMATE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS | $110,000 |
| TRANSPORTATION COMMUNICATIONS NATIONAL UNION/IAM (FKA TRANSPORTATION COMMUNICATI | TRANSPORTATION COMMUNICATIONS NATIONAL UNION/IAM (FKA TRANSPORTATION COMMUNICATI | $70,000 |
| MCCORMICK & COMPANY, INCORPORATED | MCCORMICK & COMPANY, INCORPORATED | $20,000 |
| AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS | HARO SOLUTIONS LLC | $10,000 |
| INTERCOMP COMPANY | BROMELKAMP GOVERNMENT RELATIONS, LLC | $10,000 |
| CONSUMER BANKERS ASSOCIATION | 1607 STRATEGIES, LLC | $10,000 |
| NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR GIFTED CHILDREN | JENNIFER MADSEN | undisclosed |
| AMERICAN COMMERCIAL BARGE LINE LLC | AMERICAN COMMERCIAL BARGE LINES, LLC | undisclosed |
| GALVANIZE THERAPEUTICS, INC. | JEFFREY J. KIMBELL & ASSOCIATES, INC. | undisclosed |
| NEURALINK CORP. | JEFFREY J. KIMBELL & ASSOCIATES, INC. | undisclosed |
| CAPITOL COUNSEL LLC ON BEHALF OF SKYVAULT AI LLC | MICHAEL J. LAMOUREUX | undisclosed |
| PRECISION IMPACTS, LLC | THORN RUN PARTNERS | undisclosed |
| CITY OF FREDERICK OKLAHOMA | BROMELKAMP GOVERNMENT RELATIONS, LLC | undisclosed |
| TWINLOGIC STRATEGIES ON BEHALF OF PEW CHARITABLE TRUSTS | WINN STRATEGIES, LLC | undisclosed |
| MONUMENT HILLS PARTNERS, LLC | THE BERNHARDT GROUP LLC | undisclosed |
Source: Senate Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) filings, 2026
Top industries funding Catherine Cortez Masto, ranked by total contributions.
Source: OpenSecrets.org (Center for Responsive Politics)
