Rep. Cori Bush: Oil Industry Is “Promoting Environmental Racism”
Rep. Cori Bush has accused the oil industry of white supremacy during a congressional hearing about climate change. The hearing included CEO’s of Exxon, BP, Shell, and Chevron.
During Bush’s questioning the congresswoman stated that fossil fuels kill millions claiming the oil companies support ‘environmental racism.’ She asked each CEO questions that she in turn answered herself. Her questions for the executives included is the majority of fossil fuel CEO’s black or white, is oil refinery more likely to be in a black or white community, and if the impacts of climate change more likely hit a black or white neighborhood first? Each executive told Bush they did not have the exact data to answer those questions.
Bush continued to shame the executives by claiming they support white supremacy.
“For years you all have continued to promote fossil fuels despite knowing that promoting them means promoting environmental racism and violence in Black and Brown communities. You all are still promoting and selling fossil fuels that are killing millions of people…
This is a striking example of White supremacy. Your profit-driven choices threaten my life, the lives of my family, my neighbors and our communities every single day.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also implied the oil industry was setting the rest of the country up to fail.
“Some of us have to actually live in the future you all are setting on fire for us.”
Luckily, Rep. Byron Donalds set the record straight pointing out the blatant bullying several members of congress, including Bush and AOC, showed during the hearing.
“Let’s be very clear, you (the CEO’s) need an apology because what I witnessed today was just rank intimidation by the chair of this committee…Just because we are members of congress and we have microphones and we pass laws does not mean we have the ability to infringe on your ability on what to organize.”
