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Alexander Hecht

Executive Vice President & Director of Operations

AHecht@mlstrategies.com

+1.202.434.7333

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Alex Hecht, Executive Vice President & Director of Operations at ML Strategies in Washington, DC, is a trusted attorney and policy strategist with over 20 years of experience shaping federal legislation and regulation. Drawing on deep relationships within Congress, federal agencies, and trade associations, he represents clients across a broad range of industries on how to navigate complex policy environments. 

Alex’s strategic insight and hands-on experience in both legislative and regulatory arenas empower clients to advance their priorities with clarity and confidence in an evolving policy landscape. Alex assists clients with their legislative and regulatory needs on a wide range of issues, including health care, technology, cybersecurity & privacy, energy, and federal procurement.  He specializes in assisting businesses off all sizes, with a focus on early- to mid-size small businesses.   He is an expert on small business access to capital and also federal non-dilutive funding programs, including the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.  

Prior to joining ML Strategies, Alex served for more than ten years in senior roles on Capitol Hill and in industry groups, including as Chief Counsel to then Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME) on the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship. In that role, he led legislative efforts on health care, ERISA, tax incentives, and regulatory reform, contributing to landmark legislation such as the Affordable Care Act and the SHOP Act. He also worked closely with the Senate Commerce, Finance, and Homeland Security Committees, and developed legislation to reduce regulatory burdens on business. Alex has previously held legal and policy roles at the National Multi Housing Council and the Maryland Office of the Attorney General. A former freelance journalist who was published in Texas Monthly magazine, Alex was also the chief articles editor for the Houston Journal of Health Law & Policy at the University of Houston Law Center. 

Alex, alongside other members of the ML Strategies team, contributes to a recurring thought leadership series, AI: The Washington Report, which offers insights and analysis on federal policy developments, legislative trends, and regulatory actions related to artificial intelligence.

Education

  • George Washington University (LLM)
  • University of Houston Law Center (JD)
  • University of Texas - Austin (BA)

Recognition & Awards

  • JD Supra Readers’ Choice Award, Top Author – Artificial Intelligence, 2025 

  • JD Supra Readers' Choice Awards: a Top Author on the Affordable Care Act (2016)

  • Champion of Small Business Innovation: "For Exemplary work on behalf of America's SBIR Community" - Presented by Small Business Technology Council and National Small Business Association (2012)

  • The Council for Excellence in Government: Cutting the Red Tape Excellence Award

Case Studies

Case Study Hero Karl-Storz Mintz Case Study
On behalf of Karl Storz Endoscopy, ML Strategies has advocated for uniform federal regulation to protect patient safety before the FDA and with members of Congress — and defeated the digital right to repair from being implemented in Massachusetts.

Recent Insights

Events

Viewpoints

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This issue of Hill to Hill covers the budget and appropriations process on Capitol Hill, developments related to the Advanced Research Project Agency for Health and the CHIPS and Science Act, the start of the new Massachusetts legislative session and proposals filed by the Healey-Driscoll administration, and recent ML Strategies events.
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The next three weeks will be full of activity in Washington D.C., as the House of Representatives and Senate are working to push their legislative agendas to garner support from their constituents ahead of an August recess and before political “silly season” officially kicks in ahead of the upcoming mid-term elections in November. Here’s our latest update on what you can expect in Congress during the July work period.
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The second half of 2021 will be a busy stretch for Congress. In addition to the typical must-pass legislation, Democrats controlling both chambers and the White House are committed to several big spending bills, too. This preview is a rundown of these bills, what’s included in them, and how we can expect them to play out.
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The bills listed reflect a relatively active cybersecurity agenda for the 117th Congress.  As reflected in the proposed legislation, many Members are interested in focusing federal policy on matters such as supply chain security, cyber workforce training, and international competitiveness, particularly with China.  The most ambitious bill may be the Endless Frontiers Act, which would establish a Directorate for Technology and Innovation within the National Science Foundation and further establish regional hubs (i.e., partnerships between government, private, and academic stakeholders) to drive R&D and commercial innovation in key areas of technology.  Endless Frontiers could be the centerpiece of a legislative agenda to ramp up the U.S.’s technological competitiveness with China.  The Senate Commerce Committee was scheduled to mark-up the bill last Wednesday, but it was pulled after over 230 amendments were reportedly filed, and Members failed to garner a critical mass of bipartisan support.  The committee will likely work through the recess to seek bipartisan agreement for passage. 
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Since the Democrats reclaimed control of the House of Representatives in 2018, barrels of ink have been spilled on the topic of “congressionally-directed spending”. Better known as earmarks, this funding mechanism allows Members of Congress to send money directly to projects identified in their districts, largely bypassing the federal bureaucracy and its protracted grant application process. For more than a decade, the Congress has banned the practice of including congressionally-directed funding in spending bills. Now, Democrats in control of both chambers and the White House are poised to bring earmarks back. On March 17th, House Republicans voted to reverse the GOP Conference’s ten year-old ban on congressionally directed spending, paving the way for Members from both parties to make requests in upcoming spending and infrastructure bills.
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With the presidential transition underway, we now look forward to what the Biden administration will seek to accomplish, particularly in the realm of health care policy.
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Read about the post-election impact on international trade matters and the incoming administration's influence on the Committee on Foreign Investments in the U.S. (CFIUS).
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In response to the coronavirus pandemic, Congress and President Trump have taken the following actions:

News & Press

Events

Moderator
Oct
26
2023

A Conversation with Governor Bill Weld

Mintz Toronto Office (200 Bay St, South Tower Suite 2800 Toronto, ON M5J 2J3)

Speaker
Moderator
Jun
19
2019

Health Care & Cybersecurity: A Powerful Combination

Mintz, ML Strategies, & Zingbox

Washington, DC

May
17
2016