Loews Corp. paid lobbyist $780,000

WASHINGTON --Loews Corp., which owns insurance, cigarette, hotel and energy businesses, paid MLBA Services Inc. $780,000 to lobby the federal government in the first half of 2007, according to a disclosure form.

The firm lobbied Congress on tobacco-related legislation, including a bill vetoed by President Bush that would expand children's health insurance by hiking tobacco taxes to $1 per pack, according to the disclosure form posted online Aug. 10 by the Senate's public records office.

The House will vote Thursday in an effort to overturn the president's veto.

New York-based Loews owns tobacco company Lorillard Inc., maker of Newport and Kent cigarettes.

In addition, the firm lobbied on a 15-year extension of a program enacted after the 2001 terrorist attacks that would aid the insurance industry in the event of a terrorist attack. The bill to extend the terrorism risk insurance program was passed by the House in September and awaits a vote in the Senate.

Loews has an 89 percent stake in insurer CNA Financial Corp.

Under a federal law enacted in 1995, lobbyists are required to disclose activities that could influence members of the executive and legislative branches. They must register with Congress within 45 days of being hired or engaging in lobbying.