LegiStorm

July 29 is National Intern Day. But for Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), the entire first quarter was a celebration of interns.

Of his $25,000 annual intern allowance, Moulton spent $21,700 (87 percent) paying interns from January to March. The next biggest spender on interns, Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.), used $15,130 (60 percent), according to LegiStorm data.

The average Democrat paid interns $5,070 (20 percent) from her or his official intern budget during that time, while the average Republican spent $3,930 (16 percent).

Since 2019, representatives have received an allowance dedicated to intern pay, currently set at $25,000 per year. Intern allowances are separate from the rest of member representational allowances, although member offices may also pay interns using their regular office allowances.

For Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), a health-care-industry lobbyist is just what the doctor ordered.

Anthony Montoya joined Huffman's staff as a legislative assistant this month and handles the congressman's health-care portfolio, among other legislative issues.

Montoya comes from the Alliance of Community Health Plans, where he was a public-policy associate who lobbied on assorted Medicare, Medicaid and health-care issues for the health-plan trade group. ACHP disclosed just over $2 million on federal lobbying in the last year.

A fast-growing government-relations firm has wooed an aide from the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Allison Feikes joined Ervin Graves Strategy Group as a vice president earlier this month. The firm is on track to earn about $4.8 million in federal lobbying revenue in 2021 - 55 percent more the $3.1 million it brought in last year. Ervin Graves was known as Ervin Hill Strategy until former Rep. Tom Graves' (R-Ga.) addition to the firm last fall.

For the HELP Committee, Feikes worked under chair Mike Braun (R-Ind.) as a professional staff member and acting GOP staff director to the Employment and Workplace Safety Subcommittee. She's also worked in Sen. Mike Braun's personal office and for then-Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Va.).

Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.) has lost one of his first congressional hires to K Street.

Kierstin Stradford is now a senior associate at Smith Dawson & Andrews. She'll work on infrastructure and trade policy, among other issues. The government-affairs firm brought in just shy of $2 million in lobbying income last year, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Stradford was most recently a legislative assistant handling a range of issues for Mfume's office. She previously worked for then-Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), whose seat Mfume filled last year following Cummings's death.

After a health-advocacy gig, a former staffer to Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) has returned to lead the congresswoman's office.

Mia Keeys comes from the American Medical Association, where she was director of health-equity policy and advocacy. Before that, she was Rep. Kelly's health-policy director.

The physicians' group has disclosed $18.7 million in federal lobbying expenses in the last year. While Keeys did not register as an AMA lobbyist, her time there included moderating a COVID-19 town hall for Rep. Kelly. AMA's PAC is also a longtime contributor to Kelly's campaign and has steadily upped its donations over the years, giving $5,000 to her reelection efforts last cycle.