House climate report opposes legal shield for Big Oil in exchange for a carbon tax

A newly released series of climate policy recommendations from the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis embraces a key principle of climate accountability: that Congress must not give legal immunity to polluters in exchange for a price on carbon.  

In a section about carbon pricing, the report from the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis states on page 287 that “Congress should not offer liability relief … in exchange for a carbon price.” 

This move comes after 60 House members led by Rep. Jamie Raskin (Maryland) sent a letter to House leadership in May urging opposition to legal immunity for the fossil fuel industry during COVID-19 relief negotiations.

“There is a growing drumbeat in Congress to protect access to the courts for the communities seeking justice against the companies that created and lied about the climate crisis,” said Richard Wiles, our executive director. “Today’s select committee report is the latest example of House members taking a strong stance against liability relief for polluters, ensuring that communities who have suffered because of the fossil fuel industry’s climate deception and destruction are able to have their rightful day in court. Just like Big Tobacco and Big Pharma, it’s only right that Big Oil is held accountable for the harm it knew its products caused to the public.” 

Big Oil has looked to Congress before to provide a “get-out-of-jail-free” card that would shield them from all past, present and future climate damages to communities, including the costs of adapting to and recovering from worsening climate disasters. Blanket immunity has also been sought by other industries facing liability including opioid, tobacco, and gasoline additive manufacturers. But all of them, with the exception of gun manufacturers, were denied.

Polls have found that a majority of Americans believe that fossil fuel companies bear responsibility for the damages caused by global warming and should be made to pay communities to address some, if not all of them. As communities across the country take Big Oil to court to recover the costs the industry knowingly caused, it is essential that the court doors — and all fair avenues to accountability and justice — remain open.