The OpenSecrets profile for Caterpillar Inc reveals that in the 2024 cycle the company contributed $1,420,191 in campaign donations and spent $4,480,000 on lobbying efforts. These figures, released alongside campaign finance and lobbying data in early 2025, highlight the firm’s active engagement in the political process.

Caterpillar Inc. has agreed to an $800K settlement to pay back wages and interest to affected black applicants following a discrimination review at its Decatur, Illinois facility, highlighting ongoing issues with its hiring practices.

The U.S. Department of Labor announced that Caterpillar Inc. has entered into a conciliation agreement to resolve systemic racial hiring discrimination at its Decatur, Illinois facility, agreeing to pay $800,000 in back wages and interest to affected Black applicants while instituting remedial hiring practices and training measures.

Caterpillar issued a statement in response to allegations of complicity in human rights abuses in Israel and the Occupied Territories. The company affirmed that it does not condone illegal or immoral use of its equipment and adheres to international humanitarian law, while emphasizing compliance with strict U.S. anti-boycott laws and expressing compassion for those affected by the regional conflict.

Caterpillar union workers ratified a new six‐year labor contract that includes significant wage increases, a bonus, enhanced shift premiums, improved retirement contributions, and commitments to maintain operations at unionized plants. The agreement, reached after negotiations to avert a strike, covers 7,000 workers and is seen as a major win for labor rights.

On February 3, 2023, Caterpillar Inc. published its first Lobbying Report, 'The Purpose of Engagement,' outlining its strategy in U.S. public policy advocacy. The report details the company’s transparent disclosure of its political engagement, including its support for policies related to sustainability, climate efforts, and trade, as articulated by CEO Jim Umpleby.

Senators Wyden and Whitehouse have initiated an investigation into whether political interference affected a tax investigation involving Caterpillar. The inquiry scrutinizes Caterpillar’s decision to retain former Attorney General William Barr amid stalled enforcement actions, raising concerns that the company may be leveraging politically connected figures to mitigate regulatory scrutiny.

A report by Axios, as covered by Patch, reveals that Caterpillar Inc. sourced clothing items from a China-based supplier implicated in a forced labor program known as 'Xinjiang Aid'. The report details shipments from August 2019 to June 2020 and raises significant concerns regarding labor rights and ethical supply chain practices.

An investigative report by AFSC Investigate reveals that Caterpillar Inc has, for decades, supplied heavy-duty machinery including the weaponized Caterpillar D9 bulldozer to the Israeli military. This machinery has been used in home demolitions, construction of illegal settlements, border walls, and military checkpoints in Palestinian territories. A notable instance occurred in 2017 when heavy engineering vehicles were purchased via U.S. Foreign Military Financing, highlighting the company’s involvement in facilitating state-sponsored violence.