1. United States
2. Pa.
3. Letter

The Trump administration's decision to pause leases for five offshore wind farms already under construction is an abuse of executive authority that threatens the rule of law, grid reliability, and billions of dollars in lawful private investment. These projects received leases and permits after extensive environmental and national security review, including consultation with the Department of Defense. Several are already partially operational and were expected to power more than 2.5 million homes and businesses. Freezing them now, based on vague and undisclosed "national security" claims, undermines regulatory certainty and invites arbitrary governance. This action follows an executive order halting new wind leasing that a federal judge recently struck down as arbitrary and capricious. Instead of complying with that ruling, the administration appears to be advancing the same policy objective through ad hoc stop work orders, again without transparent evidence or legal justification. That raises serious separation of powers concerns and suggests open defiance of judicial authority. The administration has not released the classified Pentagon assessments it cites, nor has it explained why projects developed in close coordination with the military suddenly pose unacceptable risks. Industry leaders, grid operators, and retired military officers have all stated that these projects strengthen national security by diversifying energy supply and supporting critical civilian and defense infrastructure. Congress must act immediately. I urge you to do the following: 1. Demand full disclosure of all legal memoranda, interagency communications, and national security assessments used to justify the lease pauses, including any classified findings, through appropriate oversight mechanisms. 2. Hold public hearings with Interior Department, Defense Department, and Energy Department officials to examine whether these actions comply with existing statutes, court orders, and administrative law. 3. Use appropriations and authorizing legislation to prohibit the executive branch from unilaterally suspending duly issued energy leases without clear statutory authority and transparent findings subject to judicial review. 4. Advance legislation reaffirming that energy infrastructure decisions must be grounded in evidence, consistent standards, and the law, not presidential preference or political retaliation against clean energy. If Congress allows this precedent to stand, no federally permitted infrastructure project is safe from arbitrary cancellation. Investors will flee, energy costs will rise, jobs will be lost, and executive power will expand further beyond constitutional limits. Your duty is to defend lawful process, economic stability, and democratic accountability. Please act now.