Martin E. Edwards, III

Vice President, Public Affairs Strategies Group Washington, D.C.

Summary

Martin is vice president in Taft’s Public Affairs Strategies Group. He has decades of legislative and political experience, including creating strategic goals and priorities for clients, organizing lobbying and political activities, ensuring compliance with federal guidelines, and reporting results. Martin also works closely with legislators to contribute to environmental, cybersecurity, and energy policy legislation. In addition to shaping substantive legislation, he has successfully engaged White House staff in the development of executive orders directing new policy and worked with a diverse range of associations to support client initiatives.

For more than 20 years, Martin served as director and later vice president of legislative affairs for the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA). As vice president, he acted as the primary natural gas pipeline contact on Capitol Hill for policymakers and Congressional committees. He achieved organizational objectives in such legislation as the Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002, the Energy Policy Act of 2005, and the Protecting Our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety Act of 2016.

Prior to his work with INGAA, Martin was legislative director to Rep. Ralph Hall of Texas, advising him on the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittees on Energy, Power and Telecommunications. Martin led overall legislative activity for Hall, developed amendments, wrote speeches, oversaw constituent communication, and apprised industry trade leaders and media on relevant industry developments.

Martin is not licensed to practice law in any state and does not provide legal services.

Awards

  • Honoree, Top Lobbyist, The Hill newspaper (2004-2020, 2022, 2023)

All Service Areas

Education

  • George Washington University (1987)

Speeches and Publications

  • Author, “FERC Updates Review Process For Natural Gas Pipeline and LNG Export Facilities,” Taft Law Bulletin, Feb. 17, 2022.
  • Co-author, “Historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework Legislation,” Taft Law Bulletin, Aug. 2, 2021.
  • “U.S. Political Landscape,” Pipeline Leadership Conference, Nov. 10, 2020.
  • “Update on Pipeline Safety Legislation,” National Utility Contractors Association Washington Summit, Sept. 23, 2020.

Community Involvement

  • Boy Scouts of America

    Adult Leader and Eagle Scout Advisor, Troop 16, Arlington, VA