WASHINGTON - September 17 - In its new investigation The Transportation Lobby, the Center for Public Integrity found that almost 1,800 special interest groups of all kinds are trying to influence Congress as it races to pass a new transportation bill before October 1. The Center found that these interest groups employed 2,100 lobbyists and spent an estimated $45 million to lobby lawmakers on transportation in the first half of 2009.

Now, you can read the second story in this series, "A Lobbying Free-For-All," which helps reveal why special Interests have trumped national interests and who the new group of players are in this enormous legislative undertaking.  

Search the interactive map by lobbying firm or by client and track who's hired the lobbyists nationwide - from cities, counties, and planning agencies to universities, real estate firms, and construction companies.