1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

I am writing to demand immediate oversight into the Trump administration’s admission that it targeted federal grants based on a state’s political affiliation. In a recent federal court filing, the Department of Energy acknowledged that hundreds of clean energy grants were identified for possible termination “solely” because of the political affiliation of the state receiving them. According to the filing, the agency created a list of 624 grants for potential cancellation using that criterion. If true, this is a breathtaking abuse of federal power. The President is sworn to faithfully execute the laws of the United States—not to reward political allies and punish Americans who happen to live in states that vote differently. Federal tax dollars are paid by citizens in all 50 states. They do not belong exclusively to Republicans or Democrats. They belong to the American people. If this administration believes it can withhold congressionally authorized funding because it dislikes a state’s politics, then every future administration could do the same. That is a dangerous precedent that undermines equal protection, congressional spending authority, and public trust in our government. Congress has a constitutional responsibility to conduct oversight of the executive branch. I expect hearings, subpoenas if necessary, and a full accounting of who ordered these decisions, what legal authority they relied upon, and whether other federal programs have also been manipulated for partisan purposes. No American should receive fewer federal resources because of how their neighbors voted. The federal government serves every state equally. Political retaliation has no place in a constitutional republic. Stop allowing partisan politics to dictate federal funding. Uphold your oath, defend Congress’s power of the purse, and ensure every American is treated equally under the law.