Kelly, Heinrich, Murray Colleagues Demand Trump Administration Restore $8 Billion in Funding for Energy Projects They Illegally Canceled
Senators: “Satisfying the President’s desire for political revenge and intimidation is not a lawful basis for your actions. It also betrays the callous indifference of this administration to the impacts of its decisions on everyday Americans. These are impactsthat will be felt by Americans, regardless of their political views.”
Today, Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Patty Murray (D-WA), and 36 other Democratic Senators sent a letter demanding U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought restore funding for 223 energy projects in Democrat-led states that were unlawfully canceled. The funding for these projects was approved and appropriated by Congress.
“We write in strong opposition to the Trump administration unlawfully cancelling $8 billion in federal investments in 223 energy projects,” the senators wrote. “For the 21 states with impacted projects, your cancellations will mean thousands of lost jobs for Americans, many of whom had every reason to rely on the stability of their jobs before these cancellations and all of whom will face uncertain job markets in our increasingly slowing economy.”
“218 out of 223 projects that were terminated are in states with Democratic leadership. Even in programs where awards were made across all 50 states, such as the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships program, only projects in Democratically led states were cancelled—while similar projects in “red states” remain,” the senators continued.
“These are impacts that will be felt by Americans, regardless of their political views,” the senators concluded. “For the good of our country, the rule of law, and the American people, we demand that you change course and restore the previously awarded funding.”
Alongside Kelly, Heinrich and Murray, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Alex Padilla (D-CA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Peter Welch (D-VT), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Tina Smith (D-MN), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Cory Booker (D-NJ).
Click here to read the full letter.
