Boxer, B SEN

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busted renta-toms?Alford busted on CRA study by Boxer, he gets tetchy (CRA go to attack on climate bills, including hers 2013)go to attack climate legislation bogus high cost families Inhoferenta-quote? [used by renta-tom]

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=sep 2009kate s<a href="https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2009/09/inhofe-climate-skeptic-roadshow/">https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2009/09/inhofe-climate-skeptic-roadshow/</a>as world leaders gathered in New York this week for a major United Nations summit on climate change, back in Washington, leading Senate global warming skeptic James Inhofe (R-Okla.) has been hard at work lining up a climate “truth squad” to travel to treaty negotiations in Copenhagen this December.Inhofe <a href="http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MzY1YWZhOWZjNWNmODkxZTU2MTg2YTllOTgxOTNiZDU=" style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-decoration-line: none; background-position: 0px 90%; background-image: url(" wp-content="wp-content" themes="themes" motherjones="motherjones" css="css" img="img" orange-border.png="orange-border.png" background-repeat="background-repeat" repeat-x="repeat-x" text-shadow="text-shadow" rgb="rgb" px="px">told the National Review Online</a> that his squad (he has not yet named any participants) will make it clear to world leaders that although the House passed the Waxman-Markey bill and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will probably approve a bill as well, the United States Congress isn’t going to pass climate legislation anytime soon—no way, no how. The senator, famous for his claim that global warming is the “greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people,” took a similar group of skeptics to climate change negotiations in Milan, Italy in 2003. “I was the outcast at that time,” Inhofe told NRO. “Now, I want to make sure that those attending the Copenhagen conference know what is really happening in the United States Senate.”And according to Inhofe, what’s really happening is nothing at all. “There may be enough votes to get a bill out of EPW,” said Inhofe, referring to the Environment and Public Works committee headed by Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), which he chaired until the 2006 Democratic take-over. “[B]ut there is far from enough support in the Senate. The Democrats don’t have the votes. There are too many newly-elected Democrats in the Senate who don’t want to go home and tell voters that they just voted for the largest tax increase in American history.”Apparently President Barack Obama’s speech to the UN on Tuesday only spurred on Inhofe’s desire to send a truth squad, if only because the address didn’t include enough specifics (which, by the way, is also <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a1cLRPV94TIg" style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-decoration-line: none; background-position: 0px 90%; background-image: url(" wp-content="wp-content" themes="themes" motherjones="motherjones" css="css" img="img" orange-border.png="orange-border.png" background-repeat="background-repeat" repeat-x="repeat-x" text-shadow="text-shadow" rgb="rgb" px="px">bugging environmentalists</a>).“I don’t know what he’s going to do,” said Inhofe. “It’s clear that he doesn’t know what he’s going to do, either.”<div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"></div>The Smithsonian <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Smithsonian/posts/10153248862079574" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration-line: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">has asked</a> its inspector general to review Soon's ethical conduct. In addition, three U.S. senators -- Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) -- <a href="http://www.climateinvestigations.org/willie_soon_scandal_markey_whitehouse_boxer_letter_to_100_companies_industry_groups" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration-line: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium;">sent 100 letters</a> to fossil fuel companies including Southern, trade groups and other industry organizations seeking to unearth the extent of what they call "climate denial-for-hire programs.""We've known for many years that the tobacco industry supported phony science claiming that smoking does not cause cancer," said Boxer, ranking member of the Environment and Public Works Committee. "Now it's time for the fossil fuel industry to come clean about funding climate change deniers."=ref ltr<a href="https://climateinvestigations.org/willie_soon_scandal_markey_whitehouse_boxer_letter_to_100_companies_industry_groups/">https://climateinvestigations.org/willie_soon_scandal_markey_whitehouse_boxer_letter_to_100_companies_industry_groups/</a>WASHINGTON (February 25, 2015) – Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) today sent letters to 100 fossil fuel companies, trade groups, and other organizations to determine whether they are funding scientific studies designed to confuse the public and avoid taking action to cut carbon pollution, and whether the funded scientists fail to disclose the sources of their funding in scientific publications or in testimony to legislators.This investigation follows the revelations regarding one of the chief climate denial researchers, Wei-Hock “Willie” Soon, from documents released by Greenpeace showing that Soon received more than $1 million from ExxonMobil, Southern Company, and others to produce what he termed “deliverables” to push back on climate science or carbon-cutting policies in papers or Congressional testimony. Soon did not disclose this funding to peer-reviewed scientific journals that require such disclosure....The news about Willie Soon is further confirmation that the fossil fuel industry has taken a page out of the tobacco playbook by bankrolling scientists to cast false doubt on the existence of climate change,” said Senator Whitehouse, Ranking Member of the Fisheries, Wildlife and Water Subcommittee on the Environment and Public Works Committee. “The American people deserve to know more about this self-serving effort to distort the facts and prevent action on this issue, and I hope these letters will help.”<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Full list of recipients:<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">ACCCE (American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity)<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Alliance Resource Operating Partners LP<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Alliance to Save Energy<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Alpha Natural Resources LLC<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Ameren<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">American Coal Foundation<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">American Electric<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">American Energy Alliance<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">American Enterprise Institute<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">American Gas Association<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">American Legislative Exchange Council<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Americans for Prosperity Foundation<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">America’s Natural Gas Alliance: ANGA<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Anadarko Petroleum Corporation<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Apache Corporation<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">API (American Petroleum Institute)<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Arch Coal Inc.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Armstrong Energy Inc.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Atlas Network (previously Atlas Economic Research Foundation)<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Boich Group LLC<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Bowie Resource Holdings LLC<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">BP<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Cato Institute<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Chamber of Commerce of the USA<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Chesapeake Energy Corporation<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Chevron Corporation<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Cloud Peak Energy<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">CNOOC (Nexen Petroleum U.S.A. Inc.)<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Competitive Enterprise Institute<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">ConocoPhillips<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">CONSOL Energy Inc.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Consolidated Edison<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Continental Resources Inc.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Denbury Resources, Inc.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Devon Energy Corporation<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Dominion Resources<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Donors Capital<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Donors Trust<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">DTE Energy<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Duke Energy<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Ecopetrol America Inc<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Edison Electric Institute<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Edison International<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Energy Future Holdings Corp<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Eni U.S. Operating Co.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Entergy<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">EOG Resources, Inc.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Eversource<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Exelon<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Exxon Mobil Corporation<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">FirstEnergy<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">George C Marshall Institute<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Hallador Energy Co<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Hess Corporation<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Hoover Institution<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Hudson Institute<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Independent Petroleum Association of America<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Institute for Energy Research (IER)<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">John Locke Foundation<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">John Williams Pope Foundation<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Koch Industries<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Linn Energy, LLC<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Manhattan Institute for Policy Research<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Marathon Oil Corporation<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Murphy Oil Corporation<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Murray Energy Corp<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">NACCO Industries Inc.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">National Association of Manufacturers<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">National Mining Association<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA)<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">National Rural Electric Cooperative Association<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">NextEra Energy<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Noble Energy Inc.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">NRG Energy<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Occidental Petroleum Corporation<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">PacifiCorp<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Patriot Coal Corp<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Peabody Energy Corp<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Peter Kiewit Sons Inc.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Petrobras America Inc.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">PG&E<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Pioneer Natural Resources Company<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">PPL<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">PSEG Public Service Enterprise<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Rio Tinto Group<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Searle Freedom Trust<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Shell<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Southern Company<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Statoil<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The Heartland Institute<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The Heritage Foundation<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Valero Energy<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Walter Energy Inc.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Western Fuels Association Inc.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Westmoreland Coal Co<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Wisconsin Energy<p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 900px; color: rgb(39, 44, 48); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Xcel Energy
==<div class="mag-post-box hentry" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px 0px 15px; width: 374.545px; overflow: hidden; display: table; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(236, 236, 236); color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: Cabin, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><div class="magcat-thumb" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; margin: 0px 20px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; float: left; position: relative; transition: opacity 0.3s ease 0s;"><a class="penci-image-holder penci-lazy small-fix-size" href="https://www.alternet.org/2019/08/trump-is-desperately-trying-to-blame-weak-companies-for-the-havoc-he-created/" title="Trump is desperately trying to blame ‘weak companies’ for the havoc he created" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 191, 165); transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; cursor: pointer; position: relative; width: 120px; background: url(" https="https" www.alternet.org="www.alternet.org" wp-content="wp-content" uploads="uploads" bf4a85f9bb_o-585x390.jpg="bf4a85f9bb_o-585x390.jpg" center="center" cover="cover" no-repeat="no-repeat" rgb="rgb" display="display" inline-block="inline-block" vertical-align="vertical-align" top="top" overflow="overflow" hidden="hidden" /></div></div><div class="mag-post-box hentry" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px 0px 15px; width: 374.545px; overflow: hidden; display: table; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(236, 236, 236); color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: Cabin, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><div class="magcat-detail" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><h3 class="magcat-titlte entry-title" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 17px; font-weight: bold; font-family: " open="Open" sans="Sans" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-style="font-style" normal="normal" letter-spacing="letter-spacing" px="px"><a href="https://www.alternet.org/2019/08/aoc-calls-out-barbara-boxer-for-helping-lyft-fight-against-california-labor-bill/" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(255, 187, 99); transition: all 0.3s ease 0s; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-size: 14px; font-family: " open="Open" sans="Sans" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-weight="font-weight" bold="bold" letter-spacing="letter-spacing" px="px" line-height="line-height">AOC calls out Barbara Boxer for helping Lyft fight against California labor bill</a></h3><div class="grid-post-box-meta mag-meta" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; margin: 7px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.alternet.org/author/jessica-corbett/" title="Posts by Jessica Corbett" class="author url fn" rel="author" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(49, 49, 49); transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; cursor: pointer; font-size: inherit;">Jessica Corbett</a> / <a href="https://www.alternet.org/author/common-dreams/" title="Posts by Common Dreams" class="author url fn" rel="author" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(49, 49, 49); transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; cursor: pointer; font-size: inherit;">Common Dreams</a></div></div></div>

==

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>.

==

udall, say it ain't so:

5/15

What do you get when you let the chemical industry write a “chemical safety” bill?

A bill that protects chemical companies, not consumers.

The last time Congress passed a chemical safety bill — the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) — was in 1976. The TSCA “was <a href="http://www.ewg.org/key-issues/toxics/chemical-policy" target="_blank" style=" color: rgb(241, 96, 44); text-decoration: none;">broken from the start</a>,” according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), because it grandfathered in thousands of chemicals already on the market. It was so “broken and weak,” says EWG, that it didn’t even allow the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ban asbestos, a known cause of cancer.

Now, 39 years later, tens of thousands of new chemicals have been introduced, the majority of which have never been safety tested by the EPA. These chemicals, more than 80,000 of them, are in the food we eat, the clothes we wear and the homes we live in.

It’s time for reform. But unfortunately, S.697 — which still doesn’t address asbestos — falls far short of accomplishing that. That could have something to do with the fact that the chemical industry has <a href="http://www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2015/03/chemical-industry-spending-surges-support-sham-reform" target="_blank" style=" color: rgb(241, 96, 44); text-decoration: none;">spent $190 million</a> lobbying for this bill. Democratic Sponsor Tom Udall’s (D-N.M.) campaign received $49,050 from the Chemical industry in the 2014 cycle, plus $23,500 from lobbyists employed by the American Chemistry Council. Republican sponsor David Vitter’s (R-La.) campaign received $20,600 in the 2014 cycle, and $14,300 from American Chemistry Council lobbyists. We need your voice to stop this bill.

On April 27 (2015), the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved a rewritten version of S.697, sending it to the Senate floor for a vote. The revised bill gave slightly more protection to state chemical safety laws, by changing the grandfathered date to Jan. 1, 2015, instead of Aug. 1, 2015. The new version also no longer allows federal chemical rules to preempt state clean water and clear air laws.

But the bill is still inadequate, according to Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.):

"The legislation does nothing to ensure that terrifying disease clusters of children's cancers are addressed, and the killer of 10,000 Americans a year — asbestos — was entirely left out of the bill," Boxer said. "I will continue to call attention to the flaws of the bill and the improvements that are needed to protect our families."

Boxer and her colleague Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) have introduced an<a href="http://big.assets.huffingtonpost.com/Boxer-Markey.pdf" target="blank" style=" color: rgb(241, 96, 44); text-decoration: none;">opposing bill</a>, which <a href="http://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Files.View&FileStore_id=dbec8491-c006-4e04-9e44-416e78622e83" target="blank" style=" color: rgb(241, 96, 44); text-decoration: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">they say</a> offers far better protection than S. 697, which they say cripples state efforts to regulate toxic chemicals, while leaving the federal government without the resources needed to properly safety test them.

One of the bill’s biggest shortcomings is that it allows the EPA to review no more than 25 chemicals in the first three years. At that pace, it would take more than a century to address the backlog of chemicals in need of review. We already know that some chemicals, such as Bisphenol A (BPA), are <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960076011001063" target="_blank" style=" color: rgb(241, 96, 44); text-decoration: none;">hormone disrupters</a>, yet BPA is still found in baby food containers. As for thousands of other unregulated chemicals, the effects are unknown.

In the absence of federal action, states have taken the lead in monitoring toxic chemicals and setting safety standards for industry — 33 states have passed laws to include some form of monitoring or restrictions to harmful chemicals like formaldehyde, mercury, asbestos and BPA. S.697, though it will grandfather in many of these state laws, will hinder states from taking stronger action in the future.

More on how chemicals are regulated <a href="http://photo.pds.org:5012/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre2009012300" target="blank" style=" color: rgb(241, 96, 44); text-decoration: none;">here</a> and <a href="http://photo.pds.org:5012/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre2014071800" target="blank" style=" color: rgb(241, 96, 44); text-decoration: none;">here</a>.

<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer">http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer</a>

Barbara Levy Boxer, a <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/United_States_Democratic_Party" title="United States Democratic Party" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Democrat</a>, has represented <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Category:Members_of_the_U.S.Congress_from_California" title="Category:Members of the U.S. Congress from California" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">California</a> in the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/U.S.Senate" title="U.S. Senate" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">U.S. Senate</a> since 1992.

<h2 style=" color: black; background-image: none; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border: none; font-size: 12px; display: inline; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Contents</h2>

[<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer#" class="internal" id="togglelink" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">hide</a>] </div>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer#Record_and_controversies" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">1 Record and controversies</a>

<li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-3" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer#FY2004_Defense_Appropriations" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">1.1.1 FY2004 Defense Appropriations</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-4" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer#Confirmation_of_Michael_Mukasey" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">1.2 Confirmation of Michael Mukasey</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-5" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer#Environmental_record" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">1.3 Environmental record</a>

<li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-6" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer#Global_Warming_Pollution_Reduction_Act" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">1.3.1 Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-7" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer#Energy_policy" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">1.4 Energy policy</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-8" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer#House_Banking_Scandal" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">1.5 House Banking Scandal</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-9" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer#Biography" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">2 Biography</a>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-10" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer#2008_elections" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">2.1 2008 elections</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-11" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer#Money_in_politics" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">3 Money in politics</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-12" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer#Committees_and_Affiliations" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">4 Committees and Affiliations</a>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-13" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer#Committees" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">4.1 Committees</a>

<li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-14" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer#Committee_assignments_in_the_109th_Congress_.282005-2006.29" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">4.1.1 Committee assignments in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-15" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer#Committee_assignments_in_the_110th_Congress_.282007-2008.29" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">4.1.2 Committee assignments in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-16" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer#Affiliations" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">4.2 Affiliations</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-17" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer#Party_Leadership" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">4.3 Party Leadership</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-18" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer#More_Background_Data" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">5 More Background Data</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-19" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer#Contact" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">6 Contact</a>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-20" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer#Twitter" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">6.1 Twitter</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-21" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer#Articles_and_resources" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">7 Articles and resources</a>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-23" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer#References" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">7.2 References</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-24" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer#Resources" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">7.3 Resources</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-25" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer#Local_blogs_and_discussion_sites" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">7.4 Local blogs and discussion sites</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-26" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer#Major_speeches_and_statements" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">7.5 Major speeches and statements</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-27" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer#External_articles" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">7.6 External articles</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>

</div>

<h2 style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-image: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); font-size: 19px; font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Record and controversies</h2>

<div style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 0.5em 0.75em; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: rgb(220, 232, 248); border: 1px solid rgb(92, 121, 181); padding: 0.25em; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">General information about important bills and votes for can be found in Congresspedia's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Category:U.S._legislation" title="Category:U.S. legislation" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">articles on legislation</a>. You can add information you find on how Barbara Boxer voted by clicking the "[edit]" link to the right and typing it in. Remember to <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Help:References" title="Help:References" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">cite your sources</a>!</div>

<h4 style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-image: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">FY2004 Defense Appropriations</h4>

<dd style=" line-height: 1.5em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-right: 0px;">Main article: <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Congressional_actions_on_the_Iraq_War_following_the_2003_U.S._invasion" title="Congressional actions on the Iraq War following the 2003 U.S. invasion" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Congressional actions on the Iraq War following the 2003 U.S. invasion</a></dd>

</dl>

On Apr. 2, 2008, Sen. Boxer held hearings as chair of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Senate_Environment_and_Public_Works_Committee" title="Senate Environment and Public Works Committee" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Senate Environment and Public Works Committee</a> on the Bush administration's missing of one-year legal deadline to determine whether Polar Bears threatened by <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Global_warming" title="Global warming" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">global warming</a> should be listed as endangered under the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Endangered_Species_Act" title="Endangered Species Act" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Endangered Species Act</a>. The decision process was controversial with congressional Republicans because it was based in part on projections of the decline in Arctic sea ice rather than entirely on population trends. Interior Secretary <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Dirk_Kempthorne" title="Dirk Kempthorne" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Dirk Kempthorne</a> declined to attend the hearing, citing the ongoing decision process and his naming in a lawsuit by environmental groups filed against the government for missing the deadline. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer#cite_note-1" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; white-space: nowrap; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">[1]</a>

<h4 style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-image: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act</h4>

<p style=" margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">On January 15, 2007, Sens. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Bernie_Sanders" title="Bernie Sanders" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Bernie Sanders</a> (I-Vt.) and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) introduced the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/U.S.congressional_action_on_climate_change#Global_Warming_Pollution_Reduction_Act_of_2007.28S.309.29" title="U.S. congressional action on climate change" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act of 2007</a>. It was referred to the<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Senate_Committee_on_Environment_and_Public_Works" title="Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works</a>.<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer#cite_note-2" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; white-space: nowrap; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">[2]</a> The measure was intended to increase performance standards for electricity generation and motor vehicles with the option of an emissions "<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Cap_and_trade" title="Cap and trade" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">cap and trade</a>" system.

Main article: <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/U.S.congressional_action_on_climate_change#Global_Warming_Pollution_Reduction_Act_of_2007.28S.309.29" title="U.S. congressional action on climate change" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">U.S. congressional action on climate change#Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act of 2007 (S.309)</a>

</dd>

</dl>

Main article: <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/U.S._federal_oil_and_gas_royalties" title="U.S. federal oil and gas royalties" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">U.S. federal oil and gas royalties</a>

</dd>

</dl>

Boxer was among the top 24 involved in the House bank scandal. On March 1, 1992 the Sacramento Bee quoted Boxer as admitting she didn't pay enough attention to her House bank account. More specifically, that meant 143 bad checks totaling $41,417 over a three-year period that she had written on the House bank.

During the 1970s Boxer worked as a journalist for the Pacific Sun, and as a congressional aide for <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/John_Burton" title="John Burton" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">John Burton</a> . In 1976 Boxer was elected to the Marin County Board of Supervisors, serving for six years. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/biography/Boxer.html" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); padding-right: 13px; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">[2]</a>

Boxer was elected to the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/U.S.House_of_Representatives" title="U. S. House of Representatives" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">U. S. House of Representatives</a> in 1982, where she represented <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives,_California_District_6" class="extiw" title="w:United States House of Representatives, California District 6" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">California District 6</a> (Marin County) for ten years. "In that time she exposed overcharges by Pentagon contractors, one charged $7,600 for a coffee pot. She introduced legislation for more competitive bidding from contractors, fought for military reforms and to protect whistle blowers in government. She exposed mismanagement in the waste program, fought for airline cabin safety and was an advocate for domestic priorities in the areas of health, biomedical research and education."<a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/biography/Boxer.html" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); padding-right: 13px; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">[3]</a>

Boxer won an open seat contest for the U.S. Senate in 1992 and was re-elected in 1998. She had decided to retire in 2004, but says she decided to say and "fight for the right to dissent" against conservatives like <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Tom_DeLay" title="Tom DeLay" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Tom DeLay</a>. Boxer decisively defeated Republican candidate <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Bill_Jones" title="Bill Jones" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Bill Jones</a>, a former California Secretary of , by a margin of 20%<a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/sov/2004_general/formatted_us_sen_detail.pdf" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAQAAAAnOwc2AAAATklEQVR4XmXKQQqAMAwF0X/7XsSz9CSKiyIIFRFcjMmihmiGbB5fqDCaQJ4j46pzYLUWe+cXZ6OVBhTS0srY2Njp/+XxXXZOLu6EUWAOPX1vnwTBe6qQAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); padding-right: 13px; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">[4]</a>.

Boxer is known as a champion of human rights, environmental protection, military procurement reform and a woman's right of reproductive choice. She was also involved in demanding protection for <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Whistleblowers" title="Whistleblowers" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">whistleblowers</a> in government, and pushed for higher budget allocations for health, biomedical research, and education.

See <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barbara_Boxer%27s_Legislative_Record" title="Barbara Boxer's Legislative Record" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Barbara Boxer's Legislative Record</a> for more information.

</td><td width="100%" style=" border-left-width: 0px; padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.5em 0em;">This information was gathered by volunteer researchers as part of the Superdelegate Transparency Project on the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Superdelegates" title="Superdelegates" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">superdelegates</a> for the 2008 Democratic presidential primary. For more info see the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/California_2008_presidential_primary_and_superdelegates" title="California 2008 presidential primary and superdelegates" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">California superdelegate tracker</a> or visit the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Portal:Superdelegate_Transparency_Project" title="Portal:Superdelegate Transparency Project" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">STP homepage</a>.</td></tr></tbody></table>

Before <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Hillary_Clinton" title="Hillary Clinton" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Hillary Clinton</a> conceded the race, Barbara Boxer, as a <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Superdelegate" title="Superdelegate" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">superdelegate</a>, had endorsed her for President.

<table class="prettytable" style=" font-size: 13px; margin: 1em 1em 1em 0px; background-color: rgb(249, 249, 249); border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><tbody><tr><th colspan="3" style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em; background-color: rgb(242, 242, 242); text-align: center; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Links to more campaign contribution information for Barbara Boxer

from the Center for Responsive Politics' <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); padding-right: 13px; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">OpenSecrets.org</a> site.</th></tr><tr><td style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em;">Fundraising profile:</td><td style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.asp?cycle=2006&cid=N00006692" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); padding-right: 13px; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">2006 election cycle</a></td><td style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/allsummary.asp?cid=N00006692" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); padding-right: 13px; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">Career totals</a></td></tr><tr><td style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em;">Top contributors by organization/corporation:</td><td style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.asp?cycle=2006&cid=N00006692" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); padding-right: 13px; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">2006 election cycle</a></td><td style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/allcontrib.asp?cid=N00006692" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); padding-right: 13px; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">Career totals</a></td></tr><tr><td style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em;">Top contributors by industry:</td><td style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/indus.asp?cycle=2006&cid=N00006692" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); padding-right: 13px; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">2006 election cycle</a></td><td style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/allindus.asp?cid=N00006692" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); padding-right: 13px; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">Career totals</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/revolving/search_result.asp?mem=Boxer%2C+Barbara" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); padding-right: 13px; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">Revolving door profile for Barbara Boxer</a> from the Center for Responsive Politics' <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); padding-right: 13px; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">OpenSecrets.org</a> website.</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/travel.asp?CID=N00006692" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); padding-right: 13px; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">2006 privately funded travel profile for Barbara Boxer</a> from the Center for Responsive Politics' <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); padding-right: 13px; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">OpenSecrets.org</a> website.</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/candlook.php?CID=N00006692" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); padding-right: 13px; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">Personal finance profile for Barbara Boxer</a> from the Center for Responsive Politics' <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); padding-right: 13px; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">OpenSecrets.org</a> website.</li>

</ul>

<h2 style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-image: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); font-size: 19px; font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Committees and Affiliations</h2>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Senate_Committee_on_Commerce,Science,and_Transportation" title="Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation</a>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Subcommittee on Interstate Commerce, Trade, and Tourism</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Subcommittee on Science, Technology, and Innovation</li>

</ul>

</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Senate_Committee_on_Environment_and_Public_Works" title="Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works</a> - Chairman

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Subcommittee on Public Sector Solutions to Global Warming, Oversight and Children's Health Protection</li>

</ul>

</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Senate_Committee_on_Foreign_Relations" title="Senate Committee on Foreign Relations" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Senate Committee on Foreign Relations</a>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Subcommittee on International Development and Foreign Assistance</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Subcommittee on Near East and South and Central Asian Affairs</li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>

<h4 style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-image: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Committee assignments in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)</h4>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Subcommittee on Aviation</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs Product Safety and Insurance</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Subcommittee on National Ocean Policy Study - Ranking Minority Member</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine</li>

</ul>

</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Subcommittee on Superfund and Waste Management - Ranking Minority Member</li>

</ul>

</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Subcommittee on International Operations and Terrorism</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs - Ranking Minority Member</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere Peace Corps and Narcotics Affairs</li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>

<h4 style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-image: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Committee assignments in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)</h4>

<p style=" margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">January 2007, Sen. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Tim_P._Johnson#Suffers_brain_hemorrhage" title="Tim P. Johnson" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Tim Johnson</a>, (D-S.D.) was named Chair of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Senate_Select_Committee_on_Ethics" title="Senate Select Committee on Ethics" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Senate Select Committee on Ethics</a>, however, due to his absence Sen. Barbara Boxer, (D-Calif.) was named Interim Chair until his return. (<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/16394200.htm" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); padding-right: 13px; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">Monterey Herald</a> Story)

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Public Advisory Committee, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Population_Institute" title="Population Institute" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Population Institute</a></li>

</ul>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Minority Chief Deputy Whip</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Democratic_Policy_Committee" title="Democratic Policy Committee" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Democratic Policy Committee</a>'s Committee on Oversight and Investigations.</li>

</ul>

<h2 style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-image: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); font-size: 19px; font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">More Background Data</h2>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=S0105103" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); padding-right: 13px; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">Background information on Barbara Boxer from Project Vote Smart</a></li>

</ul>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=S0105103" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); padding-right: 13px; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">Interest group scorecard ratings for Barbara Boxer from Project Vote Smart</a></li>

</ul>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/b000711" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); padding-right: 13px; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">Voting record for Barbara Boxer from the Washington Post database</a></li>

</ul>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/cgi-bin/newmemberbio.cgi?lang=&member=CAJR&site=congressmerge" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); padding-right: 13px; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">Information on Barbara Boxer from Congress Merge</a></li>

</ul>

==

<h1 style=" box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; font-family: tablet-gothic-condensed, 'Arial Narrow', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Democrats' climate probe brings ‘witch hunt’ accusations</h1>

Arizona Rep. Raúl Grijalva is on a mission to expose climate skeptics. Some say he's going too far.

</header>

By <a href="http://www.politico.com/reporters/AlexGuill%C3%A9n.html" rel="author" class="url fn" style=" box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-transition: all 0.25s ease; transition: all 0.25s ease; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-weight: 700;">ALEX GUILLÉN</a>

2/27/15 5:51 AM EST

Updated <time datetime="2015-02-28T06:28-05:00" style="box-sizing: border-box;">2/28/15 6:28 AM EST</time>

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</div>

Now conservatives are the ones complaining about being the victims in a politically motivated “war on science.”

In a turnabout from years of debate about intrusion into scientific research, Democratic lawmakers launched investigations this week into the funding sources of several scientists whose work is popular with skeptics of manmade climate change. And that’s bringing a furious counterattack from congressional Republicans and right-wing pundits — including some who cheered on a past probe by former Republican Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli into a leading scientist whose research pointed to man-made causes of climate change.

Arizona Rep. Raúl Grijalva, the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, sparked the latest dispute by asking universities to turn over documents about grants, congressional testimony and other activities involving seven scientists who have testified at congressional climate hearings. Grijalva was following up on a New York Times <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/22/us/ties-to-corporate-cash-for-climate-change-researcher-Wei-Hock-Soon.html" target="_blank" style=" box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-transition: all 0.25s ease; transition: all 0.25s ease; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(10, 124, 196);">story</a> reporting that Wei-Hock “Willie” Soon, a researcher at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, had gotten $1.25 million in undisclosed money from fossil fuel companies.

Three Democratic senators then took up the case, asking more than 100 energy companies and trade groups to provide details on their research spending.

</aside>

Supporters of Soon’s research say it casts doubt on human activity being a major driver of global warming. That made the Times story a public relations coup for the green activists who originally uncovered the documents on his funding. But Grijalva’s broadened inquiry prompted conservatives to accuse him of staging an ideological witch hunt, and even one green-minded science group expressed qualms he may have gone too far. Eleven Republican senators rebuked both Democratic probes on Friday as “wholly inappropriate.”

Still, Democrats are undeterred, saying the two cases are in no way comparable. They note that a strong majority of climate scientists say climate change is real, is primarily driven by human-caused greenhouse gas pollution and poses a threat to civilization.

“Republicans went after amazing scientists doing honest and great work on climate change,” said a spokesman for Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), who helped lead the Senate Democrats’ information request to the energy trade groups. Spokesman Eben Burnham-Snyder added, “What’s different here are some clear indications that the very same companies and trade groups who have been sowing doubt on climate change and stopping any sort of legislative action in Congress, also may have been participating in these ‘denial for hire’ operations where they would pay very specifically for results.”

Grijalva was unavailable to comment on the flap Thursday.

But critics of his document request were quick to liken it to McCarthyism — or worse.

“Are You Now or Have You Ever Been a Climate Skeptic?” asked a headline on the conservative blog Power Line, which appeared atop a <a href="http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2015/02/are-you-now-or-have-you-ever-been-a-climate-skeptic.php" target="blank" style=" box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-transition: all 0.25s ease; transition: all 0.25s ease; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(10, 124, 196);">post</a> written by one of the researchers Grijalva is probing, Steven F. Hayward of Pepperdine University. The climate skeptic blog Junk Science <a href="http://junkscience.com/2015/02/25/shocking-letter-of-intimidation-from-congressman-to-mit-re-climate-skeptic-richard-lindzen/" target="blank" style=" box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-transition: all 0.25s ease; transition: all 0.25s ease; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(10, 124, 196);">alleged</a> that Grijalva’s probe “closes in on 1933 Germany, and the Soviet Union.”

But Power Line had a different take on Cuccinelli’s climate probe five years ago, after the then-attorney general <a href="http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/Virginia_Attorney_General_CID.pdf" target="blank" style=" box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-transition: all 0.25s ease; transition: all 0.25s ease; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(10, 124, 196);">ordered</a> the University of Virginia to turn over 11 years of emails and a raft of other documents involving former UVA scientist Michael Mann. Cuccinelli <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/03/AR2010050304139.html?sid=ST2010100407513" target="blank" style=" box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-transition: all 0.25s ease; transition: all 0.25s ease; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(10, 124, 196);">said</a> he wanted to know whether Mann had manipulated data as part of his research, which included a now-famous “hockey stick” graphic showing a sharp increase in global temperatures linked to human activity.

“Cuccinelli’s subpoena has been greeted with howls and protests from warmists and others who view inquiry into a scientist’s work as an infringement of academic freedom — the freedom, that is, to make stuff up, hide or falsify data, and thereby impose trillions of dollars of costs on consumers, all while being supported by taxpayers,” Power Line’s John Hinderaker <a href="http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2010/05/026262.php" target="_blank" style=" box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-transition: all 0.25s ease; transition: all 0.25s ease; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(10, 124, 196);">wrote</a> in May 2010.

Similarly, JunkScience’s Steve Milloy <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/may/12/tree-ring-circus-global-warming-hysteria-might-be-/" target="_blank" style=" box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-transition: all 0.25s ease; transition: all 0.25s ease; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(10, 124, 196);">wrote</a> in The Washington Times five years ago that greens’ claims that Cuccinelli was threatening academic freedom were “so much rot.”

“A thorough investigation by someone not in cahoots with the climate mob is the only way to answer legitimate questions related to the expenditure of taxpayer money,” Milloy wrote at the time.

Much like Markey’s spokesman, Hinderaker said Thursday that the Cuccinelli and Grijalva probes are “completely different.”

“The Cuccinelli [document demand] related to the substance of work done by Michael Mann,” Hinderaker wrote in an email to POLITICO. He added: “The Grijalva ‘investigation’ is merely an attempt to smear scientists and others by claiming that they received funding from various private sources; it does not relate to the substance of anything they have written … As you know if you have read my posts, I believe that it is government money, not private money, that is corrupt, because government is the main party in interest in the global warming controversy.”

Cuccinelli’s probe fizzled after the Virginia Supreme Court <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/virginia-politics/post/va-supreme-court-tosses-cuccinellis-case-against-u-va/2012/03/02/gIQAeOqjmR_blog.html" target="_blank" style=" box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-transition: all 0.25s ease; transition: all 0.25s ease; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(10, 124, 196);">ruled</a> he did not have the power to demand the university records.

Unlike Cuccinelli, who sought the documents under Virginia’s Fraud Against Taxpayers Act, Grijalva and the other Democratic lawmakers don’t have subpoena power to back up their requests. But the Democrats are citing a motivation similar to what Cuccinelli had offered: protecting taxpayers from policy influenced by bad science.

“Companies with a direct financial interest in climate and air quality standards are funding environmental research that influences state and federal regulations and shapes public understanding of climate science,” Grijalva <a href="https://www.politicopro.com/f/?f=34750&inb" target="_blank" style=" box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-transition: all 0.25s ease; transition: all 0.25s ease; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(10, 124, 196);">wrote</a> in letters Tuesday to seven universities, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Colorado and Georgia Tech. “These conflicts should be clear to stakeholders, including policymakers who use scientific information to make decisions.”

Grijalva requested information dating back to 2007, including all drafts of the scientists’ testimony before government bodies, the researchers’ sources of external funding, their financial disclosure forms and “communications” regarding their testimony and funding sources.

Markey and Democratic Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and Barbara Boxer of California followed up the next day by <a href="http://www.markey.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/02-25-15_Markey_ClimateDenialOversight_AmericanPetroleumInstitute.pdf" target="_blank" style=" box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-transition: all 0.25s ease; transition: all 0.25s ease; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(10, 124, 196);">asking</a> more than 100 energy companies and trade groups, including the American Petroleum Institute and the National Mining Association, to disclose details on their research funding over the past 10 years.

“This investigation will help to determine who is funding these denial-for-hire operations and whether those who are funded by these fossil fuel interests are keeping their funders’ identities secret from the public and legislators,” Markey said in a statement.

The mining association responded to POLITICO that it “has not financed scientific research on climate change,” although it has commissioned studies on topics including “the serious and far reaching economic consequences of proposed policies ostensibly advanced to address climate change.” API said it is looking into the matter.

Grijalva’s investigation and the Democratic senators’ questions got a rebuttal Friday from all 11 Republicans on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, who wrote to the same universities, energy groups and companies to tell them the inquiry was out of line. “We ask you to not be afraid of political repercussions or public attacks regardless of how you respond,” the Republicans wrote.

The scientists themselves were quick to denounce Grijalva’s probe.

“I know with complete certainty that this investigation is a politically motivated ‘witch hunt’ designed to intimidate me (and others) and to smear my name,” Roger Pielke Jr., a professor at the University of Colorado’s Center for Science and Technology Policy Research, <a href="https://theclimatefix.wordpress.com/2015/02/25/i-am-under-investigation/" target="_blank" style=" box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-transition: all 0.25s ease; transition: all 0.25s ease; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(10, 124, 196);">wrote</a> on his blog Tuesday under a photo of former Sen. Joe McCarthy.

“I have no funding, declared or undeclared, with any fossil fuel company or interest. I never have,” he added, a statement the university <a href="http://www.dailycamera.com/cu-news/ci_27593340/cu-boulders-roger-pielke-jr-says-congressman-is" target="_blank" style=" box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-transition: all 0.25s ease; transition: all 0.25s ease; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(10, 124, 196);">backed up</a>.

Pielke rejects the label of climate skeptic but has questioned the notion that greenhouse gas emissions are connected to the increasing costs of natural disasters. He notes that he supports EPA’s climate regulations and has advocated a <a href="http://blog.chron.com/sciguy/2010/10/interview-roger-pielke-jr-on-why-a-small-tax-is-our-best-hope-in-climate-change-fight/" target="blank" style=" box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-transition: all 0.25s ease; transition: all 0.25s ease; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(10, 124, 196);">small tax</a> on carbon emissions. Still, his views have made him a target for liberals, leading him to quickly <a href="http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2014/07/roger-pielke-jr-leaves-fivethirtyeight-192991.html" target="blank" style=" box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-transition: all 0.25s ease; transition: all 0.25s ease; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(10, 124, 196);">part ways</a> last year with the website FiveThirtyEight just a few months after its relaunch.

“Incessant attacks and smears are effective,” Pielke lamented this week.

Other researchers Grijalva is <a href="https://www.politicopro.com/f/?f=34750&inb" target="blank" style=" box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-transition: all 0.25s ease; transition: all 0.25s ease; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(10, 124, 196);">targeting</a> include David Legates of the University of Delaware, John Christy of the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Judith Curry of Georgia Tech and Richard Lindzen of MIT. Many of them reject the notion that they are climate change skeptics, although their work has drawn the attention of the skeptic camp. Christy, for example, <a href="http://waysandmeans.house.gov/media/pdf/111/ctest.pdf" target="blank" style=" box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-transition: all 0.25s ease; transition: all 0.25s ease; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(10, 124, 196);">testified</a> before Congress that climate models overstate the atmosphere’s sensitivity to greenhouse gases, while Curry has <a href="http://www.npr.org/2013/08/22/213894792/uncertain-science-judith-currys-take-on-climate-change" target="_blank" style=" box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-transition: all 0.25s ease; transition: all 0.25s ease; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(10, 124, 196);">maintained</a> that forecasting the climate is more uncertain that many scientists admit.

Curry took to her own blog to blast Grijalva’s request.

“I don’t think anything good will come of this,” she <a href="http://judithcurry.com/2015/02/25/conflicts-of-interest-in-climate-science/" target="_blank" style=" box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-transition: all 0.25s ease; transition: all 0.25s ease; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(10, 124, 196);">wrote</a>. “I anticipate that Grijalva will not find any kind of an undisclosed fossil fuel smoking gun from any of the 7 individuals under investigation.”

Hayward, from Pepperdine, wrote on Power Line that he has received “no grants, honoraria, consulting fees, good karma baubles, or even Christmas cards from any fossil fuel interest, though I’d be proud and open about it if I did.” He also questioned the wisdom of judging scientists’ work based on who pays for the research.

“Is the good congressman really telling us that he is incapable of assessing factual claims and judgments about the wisdom of policy on the merits alone?” he wrote. “That doesn’t speak well of his probity.”

Even some groups that support acting on climate change have expressed worries that Grijalva’s questions may intrude on academic freedom. Michael Halpern of the Union of Concerned Scientists <a href="http://blog.ucsusa.org/what-kinds-of-scrutiny-of-scientists-are-legitimate-638" target="_blank" style=" box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-transition: all 0.25s ease; transition: all 0.25s ease; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(10, 124, 196);">wrote</a> in a blog post that Grijalva’s questions about funding are appropriate, but said his request for drafts of congressional testimony amounts to an investigation into private communications.

“Just as I have supported universities’ efforts to protect communications among academics that constitute the research process, so, too, I see justification in protecting drafts of congressional testimony,” Halpern wrote.

The American Meteorological Society jumped into the fray Friday, <a href="http://www.ametsoc.org/sss/letter_on_challenges_to_academic_freedom_Feb15.pdf" target="_blank" style=" box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-transition: all 0.25s ease; transition: all 0.25s ease; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(10, 124, 196);">writing</a> to Grijalva that “publicly singling out specific researchers based on perspectives they have expressed … sends a chilling message to all academic researchers.”

Mann, the former University of Virginia scientist, told <a href="http://www.nationaljournal.com/energy/democratic-congressman-draws-backlash-over-climate-funding-probe-20150225" target="_blank" style=" box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-transition: all 0.25s ease; transition: all 0.25s ease; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(10, 124, 196);">National Journal</a> that Grijalva’s letter “does come across as sort of heavy handed and overly aggressive.”

Meanwhile, some climate-skeptic groups chose to mimic Grijalva’s probe by filing a similar request for information about University of Delaware climate scientist John Byrne.

“The sole distinctions are, first, that we far more narrowly tailor our request in comparison to Rep. Grijalva’s; second, our request is made pursuant to statutory authority,” <a href="http://eelegal.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/EELI-FME-Law-Delaware-Byrne-FOIA-request.pdf" target="_blank" style=" box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-transition: all 0.25s ease; transition: all 0.25s ease; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(10, 124, 196);">wrote</a> the Free Market Environmental Law Clinic, the Energy & Environment Legal Institute and the Caesar Rodney Institute.

Read more: <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/climate-change-study-funding-raul-grijalva-115568.html#ixzz3TXnLkCMi" style=" box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-transition: all 0.25s ease; transition: all 0.25s ease; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 51, 153);">http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/climate-change-study-funding-raul-grijalva-115568.html#ixzz3TXnLkCMi</a>

==

<h1 class="title-blog" style=" list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(17, 17, 17); text-indent: 0px; font-weight: bold !important; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-size: 30px !important; line-height: 36px; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Senator Vitter's 'Chemical Safety' Bill</h1>

<div class="comments_datetime_new border_none relative v05" data-beacon="{" p="p" mnid="mnid" entrybyline="entryByline" style=" list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-indent: 0px; position: relative; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 16px; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="arial_11 color_696969" style=" list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(105, 105, 105) !important; text-indent: 0px !important; font-size: 11px; font-family: Arial;">Posted: 08/14/2013</div>

These days, legislation rarely makes it through Congress without support from interest groups on both sides of the issue, forcing lawmakers to draft bills that are largely balanced. Now, however, the American people are being pushed by big polluters to accept "chemical safety" legislation advanced by one of Washington's most ardent anti-environmental advocates, Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), that has virtually zero support in the environmental and public health communities.

The bill is the industry-backed Chemical Safety Improvement Act, or CSIA, which would take the worst of all major federal environmental laws, the Toxic Substances Control Act and make it even worse, according to months of <a href="http://www.ewg.org/key-issues/toxics/chemical-policy" target="hplink" style=" list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(57, 152, 0); text-indent: 0px !important; outline: 0px;">meticulous analysis</a> by <a href="http://www.ewg.org/release/wave-opposition-senate-chemicals-bill-swells-public-interest-groups-legal-scholars" target="hplink" style=" list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(57, 152, 0); text-indent: 0px !important; outline: 0px;">dozens of public interest groups</a>, legal scholars and <a href="http://www.ewg.org/release/california-environment-law-enforcement-officials-warn-senators-about-federal-chemicals-bill" target="_hplink" style=" list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(57, 152, 0); text-indent: 0px !important; outline: 0px;">state environment and law enforcement officials</a>.

This shouldn't come as a surprise. Sen. Vitter's environmental voting record in Congress has a lifetime score of only <a href="http://scorecard.lcv.org/moc/david-b-vitter" target="_hplink" style=" list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(57, 152, 0); text-indent: 0px !important; outline: 0px;">4 percent </a>from the League of Conservation Voters.

At virtually every opportunity to consider legislation to protect the quality of our air, water and land or mitigate the ravages of climate change, Vitter has said or voted "No." The only issues where he comes down on the side of the environment is his support for ending wasteful federal subsidies for ethanol, and for the RESTORE Act that steered fines collected from the BP oil spill to Gulf restoration projects in his home state.

Vitter's voting record on environmental issues squares well with the wishes of the companies and industries that have largely bankrolled his campaigns. Since 2009, the petrochemical industry has been his <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?type=C&cid=N00009659&newMem=N&cycle=2014" target="_hplink" style=" list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(57, 152, 0); text-indent: 0px !important; outline: 0px;">largest benefactor</a>, delivering nearly $600,000 to his campaign coffers, while the chemical industry and its downstream users have contributed roughly $340,000 over the same period, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Sen. Vitter has a unique history when it comes to protecting toxic chemicals over public health, having almost single-handedly blocked the Environmental Protection Agency's more than two-decade effort to regulate the use formaldehyde, one of the most studied and highly carcinogenic chemicals in commerce today, in the production of construction materials.

The National Toxicology Program classifies formaldehyde as a <a href="http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/roc/twelfth/profiles/Formaldehyde.pdf#search=formaldehyde" target="hplink" style=" list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(57, 152, 0); text-indent: 0px !important; outline: 0px;">"known human carcinogen."</a>And a 30-year investigation by the <a href="http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/newsfromnci/2009/formaldehyde" target="hplink" style=" list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(57, 152, 0); text-indent: 0px !important; outline: 0px;">National Cancer Institute</a> that tracked the cancer deaths among a group of nearly 26,000 people who were exposed to formaldehyde in the workplace found that those exposed to elevated levels of the chemical had a 78 percent greater chance of being diagnosed with leukemia and a 37 percent increased risk of dying from lymphatic and blood cancers, compared with workers who had not been exposed.

Other victims of formaldehyde exposure include many of Vitter's own constituents who were housed in government-supplied trailers contaminated with the carcinogen in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina's devastation.

Despite this evidence and much more documenting the real dangers of exposure, Sen. Vitter pushed for further study in an effort to delay EPA's attempt to regulate formaldehyde, going so far as to hold up an Obama administration appointment to a top job at EPA unless then-Administrator Lisa P. Jackson agreed to have the National Academy of Sciences review EPA's formaldehyde assessment. That has likely pushed off the agency's final decision for several years.

Joaquin Sapien of the independent investigative journalism center ProPublica <a href="http://www.propublica.org/article/how-senator-david-vitter-battled-formaldehyde-link-to-cancer" target="_hplink" style=" list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(57, 152, 0); text-indent: 0px !important; outline: 0px;">wrote a detailed and wide-ranging piece</a> on Vitter's efforts on behalf of the formaldehyde industry and the financial support he received from its key players. The senator is now the ranking Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee that oversees the EPA and its efforts to improve the quality of our air, water and land. The committee also has jurisdiction over legislation controlling the use of toxic chemicals in consumer and commercial goods, including Vitter's proposed Chemical Safety Improvement Act.

I'm sure that Vitter's patrons in the petroleum and chemical sectors, for whom EPA is a persistent thorn in the side, could hardly be more thrilled with his ascension. And to have the man who delivered for them on formaldehyde leading the charge to water down efforts to reform and strengthen the broken chemical regulation law (often known just as TSCA and pronounced tosca) must be a nice bonus.

Most recently, Vitter <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/05/13/2000051/the-facts-behind-senator-vitters-bogus-campaign-against-epa-nominee-gina-mccarthy/" target="_hplink" style=" list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(57, 152, 0); text-indent: 0px !important; outline: 0px;">held up for weeks</a> the nomination of Gina McCarthy to be the head of EPA, calling further into question his commitment to an EPA that has the resources and Congressional support to do its job.

Given that history, it's not surprising that red flags went up at EWG and many other organizations when Vitter unveiled a chemical policy reform "compromise" bill co-sponsored with the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), who for nearly a decade had championed efforts to reform TSCA that the environmental and public health communities strongly supported.

Those initial concerns over the proposal rolled out by the senator turned out to be right on the mark. Earlier this summer, my colleague David Andrews, Ph.D., delivered <a href="http://www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2013/06/why-ewg-opposes-chemical-safety-improvement-act" target="_hplink" style=" list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(57, 152, 0); text-indent: 0px !important; outline: 0px;">a thorough critique </a>of how Vitter's bill would benefit the chemical industry -- and fail the public.

Earlier in my career, when I worked for several members of the Senate including Sen. Lautenberg, a former boss passed along one particularly valuable piece of advice on the art of negotiation in Congress: "Always start from your strongest possible position and work down until both sides can agree."

But what Sen. Vitter and his allies want is for the American people to swallow the weakest possible position in terms of public health and environmental protection before the negotiations on TSCA reform have even begun.

The fact is, legislation seldom improves significantly -- at least in terms of the public interest -- when it's debated in committee, a process formally known as the "mark-up." This is when legislators offer their amendments. Some propose changes that would benefit all of us, while others offer up changes designed to help out special interests, such as the chemical companies.

That's why it's essential that any bill that is brought before the full Environment and Public Works Committee start out with broad support from the public interest community, which will require a dramatic rewrite of Vitter's bill to address the problems David Andrews and other experts have identified.

Happily, there is good news for those of us concerned about exposures to toxic chemicals. The chairman of the committee is Sen. Barbara Boxer, a Democrat from California who is arguably the strongest defender of environmental protection and human health to wield that gavel in a generation.

Sen. Boxer notified Vitter and other members during a hearing late last month that she would take charge of moving any TSCA reform legislation through the committee, which as chairman is her right and responsibility.

It's imperative to maintain a focus on not only the failings of the existing federal law but also the pitfalls of adopting Vitter's bill in its place. It's also important that the public interest community vociferously support Sen. Boxer as she works with other leaders to bring <a href="http://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Majority.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=36365a59-c5b4-06ae-7fca-669eb37cadb0&Region_id=&Issue_id=" target="_hplink" style=" list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(57, 152, 0); text-indent: 0px !important; outline: 0px;">strong chemical safety legislation</a> to the floor of the Senate. It must be legislation that reflects the desires of the American people and of Frank Lautenberg, her longtime friend and ally whose entire career was spent protecting people -- not the clients of the formaldehyde and petrochemical lobby. alex f ewg

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$4.2B lobbying > camp $  kpfa global exchange  elect democ camp  7/31/12 10 am Pacifica's Mitch Jeserich hosts “Letters & Politics

FIRE finance, insur, real estate funds both parties (eg senate banking and finance 60 vs 70's loyalty) hillary lear

<a href="http://www.globalexchange.org/sites/default/files/FIREsectorInfographic2012.pdf">http://www.globalexchange.org/sites/default/files/FIREsectorInfographic2012.pdf</a>

d fienstien 67%, but for dodd-f and HC

boxer32% ? split on nafta; grijalva zero %  waxman 29%

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<a href="http://grist.org/news/boxer-blinks-oks-a-train-wreck-of-a-transportation-bill/">http://grist.org/news/boxer-blinks-oks-a-train-wreck-of-a-transportation-bill/</a>

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Senate Environment and Public Works Chairwoman <a rel="internal" href="http://www.whorunsgov.com/Profiles/Barbara_Boxer">Barbara Boxer</a> of California

22 on Boxer politics: she could not let Arnold get to her left, plus torn betw pleasing gren in CA and trying to get sen votes

coal plants nat'l pol after oil shock of 70's 191

pop and edf differed on strategy: build in 2008 vs wait for obama.  climate is more geology thasn ideolgy

Lib-Warner attacked by deniers and greens 195

only 38 women in senate ever, and boxer not popular 198  pooley

2/07 boxer had uscap ceos testify; warner VA intersted, which sent chill thru K st and hill 164. warner cd have taken inhofe spot as minority after boxer took over, but took spot on lieberman GW subcom to link up 165

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NYT

2007 Supreme Court decision in Massachusetts v. EPA gave the agency authority to act on emissions under the Clean Air Act, Upton chastised Boxer for not including language pre-empting that power in a climate bill that she steered through her committee last year. He noted that Reps. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) did include more pre-emption in their bill, which passed the House in 2009 (<a href="http://www.eenews.net/public/eenewspm/2011/01/06/2">E&ENews PM</a>, Jan. 6).

<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2011/01/07/07greenwire-senate-dems-gear-up-to-battle-house-gop-on-epa-22835.html?scp=5&sq=co2%20epa%20scotus%20supreme&st=cse">http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2011/01/07/07greenwire-senate-dems-gear-up-to-battle-house-gop-on-epa-22835.html</a>

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ears 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.

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