As Los Angeles International Airport moves ahead with its $5 billion renovation project, the airport commission on Monday hired a high-profile lobbying firm to solicit changes in federal law that would require airline passengers to foot a larger portion of the bill.

The Board of Airport Commissioners awarded a $760,000 contract with the Atlanta-based Gephardt Group to lobby federal lawmakers to increase the passenger facility charge, which allows individual airports to collect up to $4.50 per traveler.

The firm, founded by former Rep. Richard Gephardt, also was recently hired by the Port of Los Angeles at a rate of $50,000 to lobby federal lawmakers to approve a ban on independent truck drivers from entering port terminals, in favor of drivers employed by trucking companies. In addition to passenger facility fees, the Gephardt Group will examine other options that would allow LAX and airports across the country to increase revenue amid a national decline in passenger traffic

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