Cardin, B Sen

<p style=" text-align: left; padding: 5px 0px; margin: 5px 0px; color: rgb(33, 43, 74); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; orphans: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">=<div class="bkWMgd" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><g-card class="nLmDif ko5q5d" data-hveid="42" style="display: block; border: 1px solid rgb(218, 220, 224); border-radius: 8px; overflow: hidden; margin-bottom: 16px; width: 632px; margin-left: -16px; margin-right: -16px;"><div class="dbsr" data-ved="0ahUKEwiYpbjiwZDkAhVROK0KHV_WDkoQxPQBCCsoADAB"><a href="https://www.rigzone.com/news/287b_transportation_bill_would_subsidize_altfuel_stations-30-jul-2019-159438-article/" data-ved="0ahUKEwiYpbjiwZDkAhVROK0KHV_WDkoQxfQBCCwwAQ" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.rigzone.com/news/287b_transportation_bill_would_subsidize_altfuel_stations-30-jul-2019-159438-article/&ved=0ahUKEwiYpbjiwZDkAhVROK0KHV_WDkoQxfQBCCwwAQ" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none; display: block;" /><div class="JP1Bwd PxRLn" style="padding: 16px; display: flex; justify-content: space-between; flex-direction: row-reverse;"><a href="https://www.rigzone.com/news/287b_transportation_bill_would_subsidize_altfuel_stations-30-jul-2019-159438-article/" data-ved="0ahUKEwiYpbjiwZDkAhVROK0KHV_WDkoQxfQBCCwwAQ" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.rigzone.com/news/287b_transportation_bill_would_subsidize_altfuel_stations-30-jul-2019-159438-article/&ved=0ahUKEwiYpbjiwZDkAhVROK0KHV_WDkoQxfQBCCwwAQ" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none; display: block;" /><div class="PRsHuc" style="flex-grow: 1; width: 0px;"><a href="https://www.rigzone.com/news/287b_transportation_bill_would_subsidize_altfuel_stations-30-jul-2019-159438-article/" data-ved="0ahUKEwiYpbjiwZDkAhVROK0KHV_WDkoQxfQBCCwwAQ" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.rigzone.com/news/287b_transportation_bill_would_subsidize_altfuel_stations-30-jul-2019-159438-article/&ved=0ahUKEwiYpbjiwZDkAhVROK0KHV_WDkoQxfQBCCwwAQ" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none; display: block;" /><div class="pDavDe RGRr8e" style="line-height: 16px; white-space: nowrap; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 8px; height: 16px;"><a href="https://www.rigzone.com/news/287b_transportation_bill_would_subsidize_altfuel_stations-30-jul-2019-159438-article/" data-ved="0ahUKEwiYpbjiwZDkAhVROK0KHV_WDkoQxfQBCCwwAQ" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.rigzone.com/news/287b_transportation_bill_would_subsidize_altfuel_stations-30-jul-2019-159438-article/&ved=0ahUKEwiYpbjiwZDkAhVROK0KHV_WDkoQxfQBCCwwAQ" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none; display: block;">Rigzone</a></div><div class="phYMDf nDgy9d" style="display: -webkit-box; overflow: hidden; -webkit-box-orient: vertical; line-height: 1.33333em; -webkit-line-clamp: 2;">$287B Transportation Bill Would Subsidize AltFuel Stations</div><div class="QbQqmb" style="padding-top: 4px;"><div class="eYN3rb" style="line-height: 1.42857em; max-height: 4.28571em; overflow: hidden; -webkit-line-clamp: 3;">Tom Carper (D-Del.), Shelley ... In a letter addressed to EPW Chairman Barrasso, AEA President Thomas Pyle argues the grant program would:.</div><div class="hucR0d" style="padding-top: 4px;">3 weeks ago</div></div></div></div></div></g-card></div>july 2019Monday a bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced the America’s Transportation Infrastructure Act of 2019 (ATIA), which authorizes $287 billion in transportation funding over five years and includes $1 billion to provide grants for electric, natural gas and hydrogen fueling stations.The legislation – introduced by U.S. Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.) – is the largest highway legislation in history, according to a written statement from the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW).Among its <a href="https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/7/7/77bf1657-3a88-472a-b699-59f6dda10802/CF9943C46267BC5DDB1700E857BA2460.bipartisan-section-by-section-plain-language-majority-and-minority-edits-base-bill-final-.pdf#page=7" style="box-sizing: inherit; max-height: 1e+06px; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">“Climate Change” provisions in this section-by-section breakdown of the legislation</a>, ATIA would create a competitive grant program to support deploying alternative fuel vehicle charging and fueling infrastructure for drivers of electric, hydrogen and natural gas vehicles. It would allocate the following amounts each fiscal year from the federal Highway Trust Fund, which is <a href="https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/what-highway-trust-fund-and-how-it-financed" style="box-sizing: inherit; max-height: 1e+06px; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">financed by federal fuel taxes and related excise taxes</a>:<ul style="box-sizing: inherit; max-height: 1e+06px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="box-sizing: inherit; max-height: 1e+06px;">Fiscal 2021: $100 million</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; max-height: 1e+06px;">Fiscal 2022: $100 million</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; max-height: 1e+06px;">Fiscal 2023: $200 million</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; max-height: 1e+06px;">Fiscal 2024: $300 million</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; max-height: 1e+06px;">Fiscal 2025: $300 million</li></ul>“America’s Transportation Infrastructure Act will move our country toward a safer, more connected, efficient and climate-friendly transportation system, one that can endure the test of time and keep up with the demands of a 21st century global economy,” stated Carper.According to Ben Kellison, Wood Mackenzie research director, electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure represents the strongest need within the alternative fuels segment.“With over 1.75 million electric vehicles in North America at the end of 2018, a nearly 60-percent increase from 2017, the need for expanded EV charging infrastructure is greater than that of the other two fuels,” Kellison said in a WoodMac statement emailed to Rigzone.Adding that private owners and operators will still build most publicly available EV chargers in the United States, Kellison contends the case for spending public funds on “certain foundational infrastructure” is being made in a convincing fashion at the state level. For instance, he said the $250 million EV initiative by the New York Power Authority (NYPA) provides a glimpse of how the ATIA program might work.“The program includes an effort to deploy direct current (DC) fast charging stations at key locations along major highways throughout the state,” Kellison explained. “These stations are meant to combat range anxiety among current and prospective EV buyers leery of traveling between major city hubs with limited or no access to fast charging. Funding provided by ATIA could alleviate the financing difficulties of erecting and operating DC fast charging infrastructure in a market that is rapidly growing but has yet to reach the critical mass to offer profitability to the majority of potential fast charging locations.”Dan Gage, president of NGVAmerica, told Rigzone that including natural gas, electric and hydrogen in the legislative package will help fleet vehicle owners determine the best alternative fuel option for their respective applications and needs."As public and private fleets work to transition to cleaner, lower carbon-fueled vehicles, investments in publicly accessible refueling facilities is vital to expand adoption of natural gas trucks and buses," Gage said. "No freight shipper or carrier buys trucks he or she can't readily refuel quickly and affordably."The American Energy Alliance (AEA), the public policy advocacy arm of the Institute for Energy Research, went on record against what it calls a “new federal program for EV infrastructure” and a “bloated $1 billion handout to special interests.” In a letter addressed to EPW Chairman Barrasso, AEA President Thomas Pyle argues the grant program would:<ul style="box-sizing: inherit; max-height: 1e+06px;"><li style="box-sizing: inherit; max-height: 1e+06px;">Divert highway funds to non-highway spending</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; max-height: 1e+06px;">Give an extra economic advantage to upper-income individuals at the expense of their middle- and lower-income peers by creating more federal support for EVs</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; max-height: 1e+06px;">Redirect tax dollars from roads in states with few EVs to subsidize EV owners in states such as California and New York with heavier EV market penetration.</li></ul>In his letter, Pyle called the proposal a “regressive, unnecessary, and duplicative giveaway program to wealthy, mostly coastal electric vehicle owners.”The website EVAdoption presents <a href="https://evadoption.com/ev-charging-stations-statistics/charging-stations-by-state/" style="box-sizing: inherit; max-height: 1e+06px; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">statistics on EV charging stations by state</a>.On Tuesday, the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) and the Society of Independent Gasoline Marketers of America (SIGMA) expressed concern that the grants could entice electric utilities to seek “double subsidies” for charging infrastructure and discourage private-sector expansion. The groups argued that the program might be interpreted to allow utilities to bill all of their customers more to finance EV charging infrastructure and then take taxpayer-funded grants to subsidize those projects.“This double-dipping by electric utilities would make it extremely unlikely that the private sector would invest in charging infrastructure given the unfair playing field it would create,” noted Paige Anderson, NACS’ government relations director. “The private sector is investing in electric charging infrastructure and wants to do more of that, but if double-dipping by utilities were allowed, private sector investment would dry up.”NACS and SIGMA also contend that current fueling locations – such as the more than 153,000 U.S. convenience stores – represent the “most logical option” for locating alternative fuel infrastructure.“We’re pleased the alternative fuel grants look to spur private sector investment, but we want to be sure that it doesn’t allow abuses by electric utilities,” concluded Doug Kantor, attorney for NACS and SIGMA with the law firm Steptoe and Johnson.
<div>=</div><div><a href="https://www.democracynow.org/2017/7/21/criminalizing_critics_of_israel_congress_considers">https://www.democracynow.org/2017/7/21/criminalizing_critics_of_israel_congress_considers</a></div><div>
</div><div>U.S. lawmakers are seeking to criminally outlaw support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign against Israel. If a proposed bipartisan law is passed, backers of BDS could face up to 20 years in prison and a million-dollar fine. We speak to Rabbi Joseph Berman of Jewish Voice for Peace and Ryan Grim of The Intercept. His latest article is titled "U.S. Lawmakers Seek to Criminally Outlaw Support for Boycott Campaign Against Israel."</div><div>
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6:25pm EDT: Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) spoke about the <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/mercatus-center" target="_blank" style=" text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(78, 147, 66); outline: none;">Mercatus Center</a>, which he said "should be called the Koch Center" due to its massive Koch funding. He discussed the connections to the tobacco industry's attacks on tobacco science and the overlap with the Koch-funded Mercatus Center.

5:55pm EDT: Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) spoke about the <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/virginia-institute-public-policy" target="blank" style=" text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(78, 147, 66); outline: none;">Virginia Institute for Public Policy</a> and the <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/co2-coalition" target="blank" style=" text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(78, 147, 66); outline: none;">CO2 Coalition</a> and the <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/cornwall-alliance-stewardship-creation" target="blank" style=" text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(78, 147, 66); outline: none;">Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation</a> and mentioned DeSmogBlog's research in his #WebOfDenial speech. He also talked about the funding from <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/donors-capital-fund" target="blank" style=" text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(78, 147, 66); outline: none;">Donors Capital Fund</a> and <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/who-donors-trust" target="_blank" style=" text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(78, 147, 66); outline: none;">Donors Trust</a> to denier organizations.

5:40pm EDT: Sen. Elizabeth Warren spoke about the <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/science-and-public-policy-institute" target="blank" style=" text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(78, 147, 66); outline: none;">Science and Public Policy Institute (SPPI)</a>,<a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/willie-soon" target="blank" style=" text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(78, 147, 66); outline: none;">Willie Soon</a> and <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/christopher-monckton" target="_blank" style=" text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(78, 147, 66); outline: none;">Christopher Monckton</a>'s Hitler Youth outrage and claims to have a cure for AIDS and other "completely made up" Monckton-isms.

5:25pm EDT: Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse spoke about the #WebOfDenial and the $700 billion in global subsidies to the fossil fuel industry, annually. He highlighted the work of Drexel University professor Robert Brulle to expose the climate change counter movement and what the Senators are calling the climate #WebOfDenial.

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5:15pm EDT: Sen. Tom Udall spoke about the front groups Greening Earth Society and the Information Council on the Environment (ICE) and the web of denial.

5:10pm EDT: Sen. Christopher Coons spoke about the historical denial efforts of <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/advancement-sound-science-coalition" target="_blank" style=" text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(78, 147, 66); outline: none;">The Advancement of Sound Science Coalition (TASSC)</a>

5pm EDT: Sen. Cardin spoke about the attacks on climate science by the defunct group <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/annapolis-center-science-based-public-policy" target="_blank" style=" text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(78, 147, 66); outline: none;">Annapolis Center for Science-Based Public Policy</a> which received funding from ExxonMobil and the tobacco industry. He was introduced by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, who was thanked for leading this effort. Whitehouse delivered his 144th statement on the need for climate action and discussed the influence of the web of denial blocking action.

Update 4:30pm EDT: Senator Reid kicked off the action on #WebOfDenial, railing against the Koch Brothers and Exxon for dishing out millions to fund climate denial organizations. Reid named Heartland Institute, Cato Institute and Americans For Prosperity, among others. You can watch the action on C-SPAN2.

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Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), <a href="http://ecowatch.com/?s=Bernie+Sanders" style=" font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: large; line-height: 25.2px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(67, 146, 65); transition: color 0.2s linear; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Bernie Sanders</a> (D-Vt.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) announced landmark <a href="http://ecowatch.com/climate-change-news/" style=" font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: large; line-height: 25.2px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(67, 146, 65); transition: color 0.2s linear; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">climate</a> legislation today to end new federal <a href="http://ecowatch.com/news/energy-news/" style=" font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: large; line-height: 25.2px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(67, 146, 65); transition: color 0.2s linear; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">fossil fuel</a>leasing on public lands and oceans, and cancel existing offshore federal oil and gas leases in the<a href="http://ecowatch.com/?s=arctic" style=" font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: large; line-height: 25.2px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(67, 146, 65); transition: color 0.2s linear; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Arctic</a>.

Years of cultivating relationships with Republican lawmakers and supporting their campaign committees financially may begin to pay off tomorrow, as the GOP now controls the Senate — and thus, the Environment and Public Works Committee — and some of the industry’s closest friends will lead the questioning of EPA officials at tomorrow’s hearing.

The committee will hold an oversight hearing Wednesday morning to discuss proposed carbon dioxide regulations for American power plants. The rules, announced last year by the EPA, would expand the Environmental Protection Agency’s control over big-carbon emitting industries. But those industries are not taking the proposed move lightly, and the affected industries are influential ones in Washington.

Wednesday’s hearing is one battle in a larger war between the Republican-controlled Congress and President Obama on environmental policy. After winning control of the Senate in November, Republicans vowed to fight the President’s agenda to address climate change. Senate Republicans <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/11/us/politics/republicans-vow-to-fight-epa-and-approve-keystone-pipeline.html?_r=0" style=" color: rgb(17, 123, 184); text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">don’t appear to have the ability to completely repeal the EPA rules</a>, but they have vowed to undermine and defund the ability of the EPA to administer those rules.

The proposed EPA rules, <a href="http://www2.epa.gov/carbon-pollution-standards/fact-sheet-clean-power-plan-overview" style=" color: rgb(17, 123, 184); text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">announced in June</a>, will cut carbon dioxide production from power plants and the power sector to 30 percent below 2005 levels. According to an overview published on the EPA website when the rules were first rolled out, power plants are the biggest source of carbon emissions in the country, accounting for roughly a third of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions. The plan would have an impact on health and quality of life issues as well: The EPA says that the rules would cut smog pollution by 25 percent, save $55 billion in health care costs, prevent up to 6,600 premature deaths, and cut asthma attacks for children.

The rules would require compliance from the states as well, and the varying levels of cooperation <a href="http://helenair.com/news/state-and-regional/montana-and-wyoming-see-epa-coal-rules-differently/article_329c9d8c-4dc1-5516-b9f7-d225348ca8c0.html" style=" color: rgb(17, 123, 184); text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">seem to reflect the polarized nature of American politics</a> on the issue in general. Two states that rely heavily on coal power plants, Wyoming and Montana, have adopted different stances on the EPA policies. The state with the Democratic governor, Montana, is embracing compliance with the regulations. The state with the Republican governor, Wyoming, has rejected the rules.

As for money, the difference between giving to Republicans and Democrats on the committee illustrates a contrast between major carbon-based energy industries and the environmental advocacy groups.

For the <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/cmteprofiles/indus.php?cmteid=S10&cmte=SENV&congno=113" style=" color: rgb(17, 123, 184); text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">Senate Energy and Public Works committee</a> overall, the <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php?ind=E01" style=" color: rgb(17, 123, 184); text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">oil and gas industry</a>and <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php?ind=E08" style=" color: rgb(17, 123, 184); text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">electric utilities industry</a> both make a strong showing. As of late last year, $2.7 million had been donated in the 2014 cycle by the oil and gas industry to then-committee members, making it the tenth biggest donor industry to the committee. Republicans received a full 79 percent of those contributions. Electric utilities came in 19th among donors to the committee, giving $1.7 million with 55 percent going to Democrats. The <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php?ind=Q11" style=" color: rgb(17, 123, 184); text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">environmental industry</a>, made up of advocacy groups like the<a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000000288" style=" color: rgb(17, 123, 184); text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">League of Conservation Voters</a> and the <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000000259" style=" color: rgb(17, 123, 184); text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">Sierra Club</a>, didn’t make the committee’s top 20 donors.

The chair of the committee, Sen. <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00005582&cycle=2014" style=" color: rgb(17, 123, 184); text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">James Inhofe</a> (R-Okla.), who has rejected the idea that humans are responsible for changes to the planet’s climate <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2015/01/21/jim-inhofe-flips-the-script-on-democratic-climate-change-is-a-hoax-vote/" style=" color: rgb(17, 123, 184); text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">as recently as January</a>, received more money from the oil/gas and electric utilities industries than any other industries. Oil and gas gave $556,700 to the senator’s campaign committee and leadership PAC from 2009 to 2014, making it his biggest industry donor. The electric utilities industry dropped $278,000 into his accounts during that same time, ranking second.

Three of Inhofe’s top four donors in that period were major energy companies that may face repercussions if the EPA tightens its grip on carbon emissions. At the top of the list, <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000000186&cycle=2014" style=" color: rgb(17, 123, 184); text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">Koch Industries</a> employees and PACs donated $45,200, and lobbyists hired by the company donated $9,430. <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000000334" style=" color: rgb(17, 123, 184); text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">Honeywell</a> came in second with individuals and PACs donating $45,000, while Honeywell lobbyists donated $15,500. Inhofe’s fourth biggest donor was <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000022303" style=" color: rgb(17, 123, 184); text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">Valero Energy</a>, which donated $40,000 through its PAC.

The other Republicans on the committee received a considerable sum from the two industries as well. Virtually all of the ten other Republicans had oil and gas make their top 20 donor industry lists. At least five had the electric utilities industry make that list. The biggest oil and gas recipient in the committee was Sen. <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000022303" style=" color: rgb(17, 123, 184); text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">David Vitter</a> (R-La.) with $694,650 coming from the industry. The biggest electric utilities industry recipient was Sen. <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00006236&cycle=2014" style=" color: rgb(17, 123, 184); text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">John Barrasso</a> (R-Wyo.), who received $322,250 from the industry.

On the minority side of the committee, the oil and gas industry didn’t crack the top 20 for a single current member. The electric utilities industry made it onto the top 20 industries list for Sens. <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00012508&cycle=2014" style=" color: rgb(17, 123, 184); text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">Tom Carper</a> (D-Del.) , <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00001955&cycle=2014" style=" color: rgb(17, 123, 184); text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">Ben Cardin</a> (D-Md.) , and <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00035267&cycle=2014" style=" color: rgb(17, 123, 184); text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">Cory Booker</a>(D-N.J.), with $155,100, $124,000, and $168,138, respectively. The environment industry did make the top 20 for five of the nine Senators caucusing with the Democratic party, including ranking Democratic Sen. <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00006692&cycle=2014" style=" color: rgb(17, 123, 184); text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">Barbara Boxer</a> (D-Calif.). No Republicans on the committee had the environmental industry on their top 20 industry donor list.