Top Democrats took a jab at Energy Secretary Rick Perry Friday for slowing the flow of federal research dollars to small businesses.

Sens. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., sent a letter to Perry raising concerns about notices the agency sent to small businesses last month that were awarded grants to not expect the funding. The senators are the top Democrats on the Energy and Natural Resources and Small Business and Entrepreneurship committees, respectively.