"26 Lawmakers Defend Energy Department Scientists Against Trump"

"Fallout over the Trump administration transition team's questionnaire to Energy Department employees continues.

The team sent a 74-question inquiry to the department which included a request for detailed information on the top salaried employees at national laboratories as well as a list of civil servants who attended the U.N. climate negotiations in the past four years. But last week, the Trump team distanced itself from the inquiry, blaming it on a 'rogue' staffer, after the questionnaire cause an uproar within the science community.

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill, however, aren't letting the matter go. ...

On Monday, 26 members of Congress sent a letter to Trump Tower defending the freedom of those who work at the Energy Department's 17 national labs. These labs conduct cutting edge science and national security work, including nuclear weapons research and supercomputing. "

Andrew Freedman reports for Mashable December 19, 2016.

SEE ALSO:

"Democrats Call For Special Counsel To Probe Trump Team’s Focus On Climate Scientists" (Washington Post)

"Dems Push For Investigation Into Trump Team’s Energy Letter" (The Hill)

"Florida’s Climate Scientists Worry As Trump Picks His Cabinet And Sea Levels Rise" (McClatchy)

"Scientists Around The World Are Worried About A Trump Team Proposal To Ax NASA's 58-Year Mission To Study The Earth" (Business Insider)

"Trump’s Wolves May Gather Around Obama’s Energy Nursery" (Bloomberg)

"Trump's Pick for Budget Director Isn't Sure the Government Should Fund Scientific Research" (Mother Jones)

"The Energy Department Helped Start A Revolution – And Doesn’t Know Who To Hand It Off To" (Washington Post)

"Trump Team Looks For Bias In DOE's Outlook" (EnergyWire)

Op-Ed: "I’m A Scientist Who Has Gotten Death Threats. I Fear What May Happen Under Trump." (Washington Post)

"Scientists prepare for 'nightmare scenario' under Trump" (ClimateWire)