A major Defense Department contractor continued its offensive to move political contributions to Congress during the normally slow summer month of August. Lockheed Martin routinely carries more than a $1 million cash balance from month to month in order to keep the contributions flowing.

Lockheed Martin Corporation Employees’ PAC reported it gave $176,000 to federal candidates and committees during August. In the same month, the PAC of Northrop Grumman Corporation gave $62,500; the PAC of Honeywell International gave $55,000; the PAC of Boeing gave $19,000: the PAC of  Raytheon gave $38,500; the PAC of General Dynamics gave $23,500; the PAC of United Technologies gave $34,500; and the PAC of BAE Systems Inc. gave $8,000.

Lockheed Martin Corporation Employees’ PAC has reported receipts of $1,432,570 million so far this year and had $1,172,429 cash on hand as of Aug. 31. It has given more than $1.2 million to candidates and committees in 2013, with 60 percent going to Republicans. It has given $150,500 to campaign committees of members of the House Armed Services Committee and $138,000 to members of the House Appropriations Committee.

Last Friday, the Department of Defense announced it had awarded five contracts worth a $4 billion to Lockheed Martin Corp. The largest contract, for $3.92 billion, was to provide missile defense components to the U.S. Missile Defense Agency and the United Arab Emirates. The THADD defense system is designed to shoot down short, medium and intermediate-range ballistic missiles.

Other PACs reporting large August activity include the American Federation of State County & Municipal Employees PEOPLE, which gave $161,500 to federal candidates and committees. EMILY’s List gave out $137,111. The National Association of Realtors PAC gave out $117,000. The Dealers Election Action Committee of the National Automotive Dealers Association gave out $109,000.