Amid the portraits of US presidents at the Corcoran Gallery of Art on Wednesday, high-tech company SAP will honor Senate majority leader Bill Frist, Republican of Tennessee, at an invitation-only event.
Aerospace contractor Lockheed Martin Corp. has ordered up ''Magnolias and Mimosas: A Mississippi Brunch," on Thursday in the Russell Senate Office building for Senator Trent Lott, Republican of Mississippi, chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation subcommittee on aviation.
Motorola, Exelon, Caterpillar, and Monsanto as well as the Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal law and lobbying firm are sponsoring an Illinois-themed, black-tie ball. The honorary chairmen are House Speaker Dennis Hastert, a Republican, and Senator Richard Durbin, a Democrat, both of Illinois.
Not to be outdone, United Parcel Service plans a party at a Washington restaurant in Hastert's honor on Tuesday.
''It's a major lobbyists' feeding ground," said Larry Noble, head of the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, a campaign finance watchdog group.
In scale, the parties are similar to those held during the Republican and Democratic conventions last summer. Inaugural and convention events honoring members of Congress are among the last remaining ways for corporations to use their money to support lawmakers.
A 2002 law banned members of Congress and their parties from accepting corporate money for election activities.
In November, Republicans strengthened their majority in the House and Senate. All GOP senators will be feted at a Washington steakhouse on the day of the inauguration. Picking up the check are General Electric, Home Depot, SAP America, the PhRMA pharmaceutical lobby, and Altria Group, parent of the Philip Morris tobacco company.
Offering more than a meal are Wal-Mart, Tyson Foods, the ALLTEL telecommunications company, and Stephens Inc. financial services company, which will hold a reception Tuesday for members of Congress, staff, and others at a steakhouse and a Thursday reception along the parade route.
