Festering frustration over the fate of billions of dollars in Biden-era grants erupted Wednesday during an acrimonious Senate hearing as two senior Democrats clashed with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.
“You guys are going to have to start getting your story straight,” Environment and Public Works ranking member Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) told Zeldin after citing sworn court filings that he said contradicted Zeldin’s claims that every canceled EPA grant was first individually reviewed.
“I conducted an individual review of everything and that concept doesn’t work for you,” Zeldin said as their exchange devolved into a shouting match. “You don’t care about wasting money, but the Trump administration does, senator.”
The confrontation underscored Democrats’ ire over the Trump administration’s quest to take back hundreds of grants awarded by EPA and other agencies during former President Joe Biden’s tenure.
