If there are no or few employees little or no money can be spent in Federal solar research. What Congress allocated for that purpose is irrelevant. All Congress can do is complain, hold hearings and threaten impeachment. But your point is taken. The oil industry, coal industry and electric utilities have lobbyists and campaign bribes to spread around to both parties.
Republicans now get two thirds to three quarters of it.
When the Democrats return to power the ratio will be reversed. If Nader were elected things would change. No one else was responsible. And I do not imply, I state no administration since Carter has asked Congress for any but trivial amounts of money, and Congress hasn't volunteered any. As a matter of fact, Gingrich and most of his supporters wanted to abolish the Energy Department entirely.