Aircraft builder and defense contractor Boeing Co. spent US$4.4 million lobbying the government during the second quarter on issues including federal defense and aviation spending and foreign relations.

The lobbying bill was down a little from the nearly US$5 million it spent during the April-June period in 2010.

Boeing has interests ranging from commercial aviation to defense, space, and more recently, cyber security.

It lobbied on issues including upgrading technology at the Federal Aviation Administration, funding for NASA and the space station, and on science education and pilot training issues.

It also lobbied on aviation safety and foreign repair stations, which are inspected by the FAA if they maintain planes for U.S. airlines.

Boeing also lobbied on tax issues and the functions of the Export-Import bank, which backs loans to foreign airlines so they can buy Boeing planes.

Boeing is getting an increasing share of its business from overseas. It lobbied on funding for the State Department, as well as on relations between the U.S. and Turkey, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Vietnam, Pakistan, and other countries.

Boeing lobbied on defense spending, too, including naval and Air Force aviation spending, according to the disclosures made in a July 20 filing with the House Clerk's Office.