Two similar bills making their way through the Senate and the House of Representatives seek to give Big Oil legal immunity over its contributions to the degradation of the environment and climate.
Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Rep. Harriet Hageman of Wyoming are advocating for bills that would stop lawsuits or policies from holding oil companies accountable for their actions and damages related to the environment.
The introduction of this legislation comes as numerous communities have sued oil and gas companies over their role in global climate change and associated extreme weather disasters, in addition to deceiving the public about their role. According to the Guardian, over 70 local and state governments have advanced suits against Big Oil.
The bill, which they've called the "Stop Climate Shakedowns Act of 2026," would provide legal protections for oil and gas companies, similar to those that the firearm lobby received nearly 20 years ago to prevent civil liability lawsuits after gun deaths.
The similarities are no mere coincidence. Republican attorneys general sent former U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi a letter that indicated the 2005 Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act would be a strong example of what a new "liability shield" for Big Oil could look like.
If the bill were to become law, all pending lawsuits related to holding Big Oil accountable would be dismissed, and future suits would be blocked.
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Critics of the bill are speaking out loudly.
Cassidy DiPaola of the group Make Polluters Pay told the Guardian, "Immunity is clearly something the industry has been after … it's honestly shocking how direct the federal lawmakers are being with their wording. We kind of anticipated it being a little more discreet, but they're not hiding the ball whatsoever. They're saying it out front: 'You can't hold us accountable.'"
According to climate reporter Emily Atkin of Heated, no Democratic lawmakers have made public statements regarding the bill.
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