WASHINGTON—Congresswoman Katie Porter (D-CA) today introduced legislation to protect taxpayers from funding climate misinformation. The End Subsidies for Fossil Fuel Advertising Act, co-led by House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), would end taxpayer subsidies for industry advertisements that encourage the continued use of oil and gas.

“Big Oil has been lying to the American people for decades about the damage they’re causing our environment,” said Porter, Chair of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. “It’s bad enough these corporations poison the planet; they shouldn’t get taxpayer dollars to cover it up. I’m proud to introduce this legislation that’ll protect taxpayers from funding Big Oil’s lies.”

“There are so many common sense uses of taxpayer dollars; subsidizing the bloated advertising and marketing budgets of fossil fuel companies is not one of them,” said Grijalva. “It is disturbing to know that we have been supporting disinformation campaigns designed to let the oil and gas industry keep heating the planet. Allowing it to continue would be unconscionable. I’m grateful to Rep. Porter for her continued leadership in holding polluters accountable and I’m proud to stand with her on this bill.”

Big Oil companies receive millions in taxpayer-funded subsidies for marketing efforts, including for advertisements that deny climate science, deflect responsibility to individuals, and falsely champion oil and gas derivatives like methane as “clean” solutions. Chevron, one of the largest and most profitable oil companies in the world, spent only 0.2% of its expenses on renewable resources from 2010-2018 despite numerous campaigns promoting their products as “green.” 

Porter’s End Subsidies for Fossil Fuel Advertising Act would prohibit Big Oil companies from deducting from their taxes the cost of advertisements that encourage the extraction, distribution, and consumption of oil and gas and their derivatives. The legislation would also eliminate tax deductions that companies, regardless of industry, use to promote the extraction, development, or consumption of oil and gas and their derivatives that increase domestic greenhouse gas emissions.

Porter has consistently held oil and gas companies accountable for exploiting families and taxpayers. The House passed her bill to crack down on Big Oil’s price gouging in May, and she’s continuing to push for legislation that provides relief to families at the pump. She’s demanded answers from public relations firms on their work with oil and gas companies that spread misinformation. Porter has also confronted Big Oil executives, including the CEOs of Chevron, BP, Exxon Mobil, Shell, directly about the industry’s predatory behavior.

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