Penn spent record-high $510,000 lobbying the federal government in fourth quarter of 2025

Penn spent $510,000 lobbying the federal government in the fourth quarter of 2025 — the highest single-quarter expenditure on record. 

According to a recently filed disclosure, Penn lobbied the federal government on several issues — including higher education issues, international students and visas, student financial aid, and physician payment. This fiscal quarter, the University spent $510,000 lobbying the federal government, including $260,000 to retain the services of three external lobbying firms: BGR Group, Cassidy & Associates, and Mehlman Consulting.

Penn listed Associate Vice President for Federal Affairs William Andresen and Penn Medicine Corporate Director for Government and Community Relations Kristen Molloy as individuals who lobbied on behalf of the University in its disclosure report.

A request for comment was left with a University spokesperson. 

At the start of the last fiscal quarter of 2025 — which spanned from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, 2025 — 1968 Wharton graduate and President Donald Trump’s administration presented Penn and eight other universities with a compact that promised preferential funding treatment in exchange for compliance with a set of sweeping guidelines. Just over two weeks later, Penn rejected the White House’s offer. 

At the time, White House spokesperson Liz Huston told The Daily Pennsylvanian that any university “unwilling to assume accountability and confront these overdue and necessary reforms” will not benefit from “future government and taxpayers support.” 

Penn continued to retain BGR Group — one of Washington’s largest lobbying firms — which it first contracted in May to advocate on its behalf with federal policymakers. 

This quarter, the University paid the firm $140,000 to advocate on “issues related to higher education and research appropriations,” according to a filing. 

Six BGR Group lobbyists represented Penn — including 1994 Penn graduate and Managing Director David Urban, who served as a senior advisor to Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.

Penn spent $80,000 to retain the services of Cassidy & Associates and paid $40,000 to Mehlman Consulting. 

Correction: A previous version of this article stated that $510,000 in lobbying expenditures did not include external lobbying costs. The story has been updated to reflect that external costs are included in that total. The DP regrets the error.

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