Democrats Sweep Congress, Gain Power Over Climate Money — SkimNews
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- Democratic Party secured both the Senate and the House by Wednesday morning, plus several state governments, with victories in Republican strongholds like Ohio and South Carolina driven partly by voters' anger over inflation and the war in Iran.
- Chellie Pingree has prepared investigations and subpoenas for administration officials including EPA chief Lee Zeldin, and says she can deny agencies operating funds or executive travel money unless they release climate funding Congress authorized, giving Democrats leverage over must-pass funding bills.
- Department of Energy halted experimental hydrogen projects in Pennsylvania and decarbonized cement projects in California while the EPA froze a $7 billion community solar program; Marcy Kaptur alleges the department's redirection of Inflation Reduction Act money toward fossil fuels violates federal law.
- James Talarico defeated Ken Paxton to become Texas's first Democratic senator in nearly 40 years, backing an all-of-the-above strategy that protects oil and gas jobs while growing renewables; his 2021 Texas Climate Action Act set emissions targets and efficiency standards but never advanced.
- Sam Forstag claimed Montana's western House district, the state's first Democratic representative in over 30 years, with endorsements from Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders; 13% of ballots remained uncounted Wednesday midday, and he wants transmission investment and data-center regulation.
- Jon Rosenthal won a Texas Railroad Commission seat for the first time for a Democrat in over 30 years, vowing to "turbocharge" plugging of inactive wells that leak methane, though he joins two Republican commissioners who can outvote him.
- Georgia Public Service Commission — Democrats won both seats on the ballot for majority control for the first time in 30 years, in the same election in which they flipped the governor's mansion.
Why it matters: With control of must-pass funding bills, Democrats can now tie climate spending to keeping the government open — Rep. Chellie Pingree says she can withhold agency operating and travel money unless the administration releases funds Congress authorized, including for the EPA's frozen $7 billion community solar program.
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