WASHINGTON (AP) - Medtronic Inc. spent $1.7 million in 2007 to lobby on legislation affecting patents and medical device sales.

The company's Spinal and Biologics business is based in Memphis.

Medtronic, which manufactures medical devices, spent $940,000 in the second half of 2007 to lobby the House of Representatives, according to a disclosure form posted online Feb. 14 by the Senate's public records office. It lobbied on provisions in farming bills that allows medical device sales representatives the ability to train with live animals.

The company spent $760,000 in the first six months of 2007 to lobby the House and Senate on patent reform.

Lobbyists are required to disclose activities that could influence members of the executive and legislative branches, under a federal law enacted in 1995.

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