The U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform called executives from six major fossil fuel companies and industry trade associations to respond to allegations that they have contributed to a “long-running, industry-wide campaign to spread disinformation about the role of fossil fuels in causing global warming." Civil society and news reports say that BP America, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell, and the American Petroleum Institute and its members knew about the negative climate impacts of their fossil fuel products for decades, but engaged in a disinformation campaign to protect their profits. Civil society research further alleges that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce knew about the negative climate impacts of fossil fuels, but deliberately tailored its external messaging to spread uncertainty about climate science when key policy proposals were up for discussion. The allegations are also connected to a larger set of lawsuits filed against fossil fuel companies across the United States regarding their role in contributing to climate change disinformation.

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited BP America, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the American Petroleum Institute to respond to the allegations. Chevron and Shell responded; BP America, ExxonMobil, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the American Petroleum Institute did not respond.