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The House Oversight Committee called on senior executives and lobbyists at Exxon Mobil, Chevron, BP and Royal Dutch Shell to broaden its investigation into the oil and gas industry’s role in the spread of disinformation about the role of fossil fuels in causing global warming. The American Petroleum Institute and the United States Chamber of Commerce groups will testify in Congress next month.

In letters sent to industry executives on Thursday morning, the committee sought information on the efforts of companies and groups, including internal documents and emails on climate policy dating back to 2015. undermine climate policy

“We are deeply concerned that the fossil fuel industry has made enormous profits for decades while contributing to climate change that is devastating American communities, costing taxpayers billions of dollars and destroying the natural world,” said the letter to Exxon chief Darren Woods. executive.

“We are also concerned that, in order to protect these profits, the industry is making a coordinated effort to mislead the public and spread disinformation to prevent significant action to address climate change.”

The letters were sent to companies and groups on Thursday morning, according to the committee. Buyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment early Thursday.

Questioning – modeled. The tobacco trials of the 1990sIt sparked a showdown between progressive Democrats and an industry facing increasing scrutiny, paving the way for much tougher nicotine regulations. A wave of lawsuits by cities and states across the country have accused oil and gas companies of participating in decades-old, multi-million-dollar campaigns to downplay warnings from their own scientists about the effects of fossil fuels on the climate.

The committee was initially focused on Exxon after a senior lobbyist at the oil giant was caught. secret video recordingmade public in July, saying the energy giant is fighting climate science through “shadow groups” and targeting influential senators to undermine President Biden’s climate agenda. Some of these senators said that the lobbyist exaggerated their relationship or that they had no relationship with him at all.

California Democrat Representative Ro Khanna, who chairs the Environment Subcommittee, said ongoing lobbying by the oil and gas industry on Hill made the hearings “urgent”.

Industry lobbyists are working to influence climate provisions in two key pieces of legislation: $3.5 trillion budget bill and $1 trillion infrastructure bill. And after lobbying by groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the House Ways and Means Committee this week released a draft tax revision that protects fossil fuel subsidies, rejecting President Biden’s calls to get rid of tens of billions of dollars in subsidies. dollars per year.

“Part of the timing of this is to let Congress and the Senate know that they are under a scrutiny when it comes to any engagement and intervention in the climate agenda,” Mr Khanna said.

In a sign of divisions within the Democratic Party over Exxon disclosures, New York Democrat Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and another House Oversight Committee member wrote on Twitter. on September 2 Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia “has weekly meetings with Exxon and is one of many senators who have given pens to lobbyists to write so-called ‘bipartisan’ fossil fuel bills.”

When asked if he meets with Exxon weekly on Sunday’s television show “State of the Union,” Senator Manchin said, “Absolutely not.”

Letters from the oversight committee give fossil fuel managers a week to say whether they will exit before the panel. Depending on the response from buyers, the committee said it may take additional steps, including issuing a subpoena.