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EXCERPT:
A pumpjack extracts oil out of a well near Bakersfield, Texas.Bill Clark/ZUMA
This story was originally published by the Guardian and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration.
Republican lawmakers are attempting to shield big oil from having to pay for its contributions to the climate crisis, alarming environmental advocates.
New House and Senate bills led by Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) would give oil and gas companies broad legal immunity from policies and lawsuits aimed at holding the industry accountable for damages caused by its emissions.
Dubbed the Stop Climate Shakedowns Act of 2026, the proposal would protect the sector from liability. It is similar to a 2005 law that has largely blocked lawsuits against the firearms industry over gun violence.
“To try to legislate that science away is something that’s really alarming.”