Religious lobbying in Washington has risen to the heavens, climbing almost five times in the last 40 years, a new study by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life shows.

There were fewer than 40 organizations involved in religious lobbying and advocacy in 1970 — today, there are more than 200 groups, according to Pew. In the Washington metro area alone, these groups employ at least 1,000 people and spend around $390 million a year in an effort to influence public policy.

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