The powerful trade group representing the prescription drug industry spent a record-high $29 million lobbying Congress in 2019, according to disclosure reports released Tuesday.

That is a 5 percent increase over what the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) spent in 2018, marking the most it has spent on lobbying in a single year.

Despite anger from lawmakers and the Trump administration over rising prescription drug costs, the industry ended 2019 mostly unscathed as Congress failed to pass any legislation to lower prices for consumers.

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It is not clear if 2020 will be any different as it tends to be harder for Congress to pass major legislation in an election year.

But Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley Charles (Chuck) Ernest GrassleySenate Republicans face tough decision on replacing Ginsburg What Senate Republicans have said about election-year Supreme Court vacancies Biden says Ginsburg successor should be picked by candidate who wins on Nov. 3 MORE (R-Iowa) and ranking member Ron Wyden Ronald (Ron) Lee WydenGOP senator blocks Schumer resolution aimed at Biden probe as tensions run high Republican Senators raise concerns over Oracle-TikTok deal Hillicon Valley: TikTok, Oracle seek Trump's approval as clock winds down | Hackers arrested for allegedly defacing U.S. websites after death of Iranian general | 400K people register to vote on Snapchat MORE (D-Ore.) hope their drug pricing bill is included in a health care spending package that must pass by May 22.

The bill, which is opposed by the industry but supported by President Trump Donald John TrumpObama calls on Senate not to fill Ginsburg's vacancy until after election Planned Parenthood: 'The fate of our rights' depends on Ginsburg replacement Progressive group to spend M in ad campaign on Supreme Court vacancy MORE, would cap how much companies can increase product prices. It didn't get a vote last year due to opposition from Senate Republicans.

While Grassley has said his bill has the 60 votes needed to pass the Senate, he needs more GOP support before Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellObama calls on Senate not to fill Ginsburg's vacancy until after election Planned Parenthood: 'The fate of our rights' depends on Ginsburg replacement Progressive group to spend M in ad campaign on Supreme Court vacancy MORE (R-Ky.) will allow a vote.

McConnell is reluctant to make Republicans take a tough vote on a health care issue before the election, with the party hoping to keep control of the Senate.

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A Democratic bill that would require the federal government negotiate lower prices for drugs covered by Medicare passed the House last year, but McConnell has said it is "dead on arrival" in the upper chamber. It is also opposed by the drug industry.

Lowering drug prices is also a top priority for Trump, but his agenda has been thwarted so far by the courts and opposition from special interests.

Still, the administration plans to finalize a rule this year that would allow some states to import cheaper prescription drugs from Canada.

The administration is also working on a proposal that would tie what the U.S. pays for drugs to what other countries pay.

It is also appealing a ruling issued last year by a federal judge blocking a rule that would require drug companies to disclose the list price of their drugs in television advertising.

Despite spending millions on lobbying in 2019, the drug industry did face one major setback: the elimination of a pharma-friendly provision in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement that would have given the manufacturers of some of the most expensive drugs 10 years of protection from generic competition.

The provision was stripped out by the Trump administration at the behest of House Democrats who viewed it as a giveaway for drug companies.