The controversial act of lobbying the federal government on behalf of a company or other interest group has been a subject of debate for much of the 20th and 21st centuries in the U.S. — but it‘s been a part of our politics since shortly after the nation was founded. Like it or not, the right to petition our government is firmly ensconced in the First Amendment. But…there are limits. Here‘s a little background on the practice — and the government‘s attempts to regulate it and make it more transparent.