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FEDERALhearing transcript
High Impact

Congressional Hearing on Oil Industry Climate Change Communication

Original title: EXAMINING THE OIL INDUSTRY'S EFFORTS TO SUPPRESS THE TRUTH ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE

January 1, 2019

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The Frame

What this does

This hearing serves as a formal legislative inquiry into historical corporate communications, potentially influencing future environmental policy and corporate accountability standards.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Oil Industry

The industry is the subject of the investigation regarding its historical climate change communications.

Vulnerable populations and communities of color

The subcommittee is investigating how climate change denial campaigns have impacted these specific groups.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2019.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The House Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties held a hearing on October 23, 2019, to investigate allegations that the oil industry suppressed information regarding climate change. The hearing focused on how these actions may have impacted vulnerable populations and communities of color.

Key Facts

  • The hearing took place on October 23, 2019, in the Rayburn House Office Building.
  • Chairman Raskin entered several Exxon internal memos into the record, dated June 6, 1978, October 16, 1979, August 3, 1998, and October 13, 1997.
  • An American Petroleum Institute Action Plan dated April 3, 1998, was entered into the record.
  • The hearing examined the intersection of climate change denial campaigns and environmental justice for people of color and vulnerable populations.
  • Six witnesses provided oral testimony, including former industry scientists, academics, and policy advocates.

Why It Matters

This hearing serves as a formal legislative inquiry into historical corporate communications, potentially influencing future environmental policy and corporate accountability standards.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the purpose of this hearing?
The hearing was held to examine the oil industry's historical knowledge of climate change and allegations that they suppressed this information.
Who testified at the hearing?
Witnesses included Dr. Martin Hoffert, Dr. Ed Garvey, Dr. Naomi Oreskes, Ms. Sharon Eubanks, Dr. Mustafa Ali, and Ms. Mandy Gunasekara.

News Coverage

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Sponsors

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Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Focus on Environmental Justice

The hearing explicitly linked corporate climate communication strategies to the specific impacts on environmental justice for vulnerable populations.

Connected Entities

personJamie RaskinChairman of the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil LibertiesMap →
personEd GarveyFormer Exxon Scientist and witnessMap →
organizationAmerican Petroleum InstituteSubject of 1998 Action Plan reviewMap →
personNaomi OreskesProfessor at Harvard University and witnessMap →
personMandy GunasekaraFounder of Energy 45 and witnessMap →
personMartin HoffertFormer Exxon Consultant and witnessMap →
personSharon EubanksOf Counsel, Henderson Law Firm and witnessMap →
personMustafa AliVice President at National Wildlife Federation and witnessMap →
organizationExxonSubject of internal memo reviewMap →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance75
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy80
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment40
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz30
    Current news / social attention level

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