At a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies hearing, President Trump’s EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin was asked by Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) why he cancelled an EPA grant for the town of Thomasville, Georgia.
The grant, which was won by the rural community last year as part of the Environment and Climate Justice Block Grant Program, was to pay for a new health clinic and to upgrade wastewater infrastructure.
Zeldin replied: “When Congress appropriates a block of funding, an administration is going to apply their policy priorities to how that money is going to get spent.”
Zeldin said that the new Trump administration still has to spend the appropriated funding (appropriated during the Biden administration) but noted that President Trump put out executive orders related to environmental justice with regards to DEI.
Ossoff asked Zeldin sarcastically, “Is a new health clinic for Thomasville, Georgia woke?”
US taxpayers shouldn’t have to subsidize this town’s “trade-in of gas powered lawn care equipment”, “environmental justice offices”, and “green building consultants”. While politicians like @SenOssoff want to light your money on fire, I’ll stand in their way on your behalf. pic.twitter.com/0164ee5ALn
— Lee Zeldin (@epaleezeldin) May 19, 2025
Democrats have amplified the exchange, applauding Ossoff for defending his constituents.
When Zeldin shared the clip he added: “US taxpayers shouldn’t have to subsidize this town’s ‘trade-in of gas powered lawn care equipment’, ‘environmental justice offices’, and ‘green building consultants’. While politicians like @SenOssoff want to light your money on fire, I’ll stand in their way on your behalf.”
We have your back, Lee. However, you did seem a little unprepared to answer this question.
— Politithug (@politithug) May 19, 2025
Not all Republicans were impressed with Zeldin’s testimony. As one replied: “We have your back, Lee. However, you did seem a little unprepared to answer this question.”
Another chimed in: “I don’t believe I would have posted this exchange as evidence of standing up on our behalf. I’m on your side, but you gotta be able to say the things you put in this post in the actual hearing to get clout.”
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