Over the last five years, every new major alternative-energy initiative that initially was promised government funding has since seen that funding severely curtailed. In no such case has the government come even close to providing the level of funds initially earmarked for these projects. Since large corporations have made it a point to discourage alternative-energy projects, it is likely that the corporations' actions influenced the government's funding decisions.

Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the reasoning above?

(A) For the past two decades, most alternative-energy initiatives have received little or no government funding.
(B) The funding initially earmarked for a government project is always subject to change, given the mechanisms by which the political process operates.
(C) The only research projects whose government funding has been severely curtailed are those that large corporations have made it a point to discourage.
(D) Some projects encouraged by large corporations have seen their funding severely curtailed over the last five years.
(E) All large corporations have made it a point to discourage some forms of research.

OA is c