We have received the following information from 350 Seattle: “On April 17th, 2026, Republicans in Congress introduced sweeping legislation in the House and Senate to do just that – give Big Oil immunity and effectively put the industry above the law. Called the “Stop Climate Shakedowns Act of 2026”, if passed, this bill would put all existing accountability lawsuits under water, do away with Climate “Superfund” laws, and block any
similar future efforts. It’s designed after the shameful 2005 law that gave gun manufacturers broad protections from lawsuits over gun violence.” The act was sponsored by Congresswoman Hageman of Wyoming, who defeated Liz Cheney in a Republican primary in 2022. Congresswoman Hagemen’s description of the bill and more information about it can be found here.
The U.S. Supreme Court is considering a related climate case, Boulder vs. Suncor, that would hold oil companies responsible for climate damage. As a result, oil companies are desperate for SCSA: “With those precedents, it’s no wonder the fossil fuel industry appears desperate to avoid wrestling with attribution science in the courtroom. A long, well-documented history of deception about how much they knew about the harms that the burning of their products causes to people and the planet only adds to their vulnerability. Several fossil fuel-friendly states have already passed legislation to protect the industry from liability. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and Representative Harriet Hageman of Wyoming — two of the best friends the industry has ever had in Congress — have introduced bills to give fossil fuel companies sweeping immunity from virtually any kind of climate accountability.” https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/06/opinion/oil-companies-supreme-court.html
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