As fossil fuel companies use global crises and record inflation to hike prices, a new U.S. campaign launched Thursday aims to end the profiteering and build support for federal legislation to tax Big Oil's windfalls.
"While millions of Americans are struggling with high prices at the pump, Big Oil is making a killing."
"While millions of Americans are struggling with high prices at the pump, Big Oil is making a killing," said Jamie Henn, a spokesperson for the "STOP: Stop the Oil Profiteering" campaign.
A project of the nonprofit Fossil Free Media, the campaign has already projected messages including "Big Oil Is Making a Killing Off of War" and "Stop Big Oil Profiteering" near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
Campaign organizers are also planning advertisements on social media and in news outlets, grassroots actions, and press events.
"Companies like Exxon, Chevron, Shell, and BP are trying to profit from the war in Ukraine, driving up gas prices in order to fill their own pockets," said Henn. "This campaign will shine a spotlight on this profiteering and push politicians to help everyday Americans by passing a windfall tax on the industry's undeserved profits."
As Common Dreams reported last week, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) unveiled the Big Oil Windfall Profits Tax Act just days after President Joe Biden announced a ban on U.S. imports of Russian fuels in response to Russia's war on Ukraine.
Khanna said that "as Russia's invasion of Ukraine sends gas prices soaring, fossil fuel companies are raking in record profits. These companies have made billions and used the profits to enrich their own shareholders while average Americans are hurting at the pump."
The new campaign is also heralding the Stop Gas Price Gouging Tax and Rebate Act, introduced this week by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.).
"Big Oil is foaming at the mouth," said DeFazio, calling out the industry for "reaping the benefits" of Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. "It's beyond time to put people over profits--period."
Progressive criticism of Big Oil's price increases has mounted in recent weeks, bolstered by reports like an Accountable.US analysis showing 25 of the world's largest fossil fuel companies last year collectively made $205 billion in profits that helped to "line the pockets of wealthy oil executives."