12. Steve Israel

Steve Israel secured nearly $3 million in retroactive benefits for veterans and is considered a legislative leader on the issues of renewable energy and climate change, helping lead the successful fight to block the Bush Administration’s budget cuts for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. He played an active role in passing $90 billion in new investments and tax breaks for innovative advanced energy technologies in the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009. This five-term Democratic representative is the Assistant Democratic Whip, serves on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, chairs the House Democratic Caucus Task Force on Defense and Military, and co-chairs both the House Cancer Caucus and the Long Island Sound Caucus. You can even follow him on Twitter.