By The Daily Caller (U.S.) | Created at 2026-07-24 16:51:29 | Updated at 2026-08-03 22:51:48
1 week ago
A Republican congresswoman is taking a stand against climate litigation going through the courts.
Wyoming Republican Rep. Harriet Hageman and legal experts promoted her Stop Climate Shakedowns Act during a noon briefing hosted by the America Leads Alliance on Wednesday. At the briefing, Hageman declared that “Energy security is national security.”
Sponsored by Hageman and Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, H.R. 8330 — the Stop Climate Shakedowns Act of 2026 — seeks to fight against “climate superfund” laws and climate liability lawsuits. The bill would invalidate state laws that impose energy-related penalties and reaffirm the federal government’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and other interstate environmental standards.
“They can’t get a cap-and-trade through the legislative process. Even in blue states, they can’t get a carbon tax,” Hageman said at the briefing. “So they decided to turn to the courts.”
Thank you to @Amleadsalliance for joining today's staff briefing on state climate litigation. My Stop Climate Shakedowns Act would stop activist-driven lawsuits to protect American jobs and energy security. ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/pBmIGTIoJS
— Rep. Harriet Hageman (@RepHageman) July 22, 2026Donald Kochan, a law professor and executive director of Law and Economics Center, elaborated that these lawsuits start with a “knock on the door” from plaintiff’s attorneys promising municipalities windfall in exchange of a contingency fee.
The conversation frequently returned to the ongoing affordability crisis.
Liam Donovan, Executive Director of the America Leads Alliance, warned that these lawsuits create a “domino effect” on the entire value chain.
“Energy is an input to literally everything we do,” Donovan said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s transportation, logistics, or the widget you order from Amazon … everything becomes more expensive.”
Michael Williams, Solicitor General of West Virginia, added that companies are already beginning to “price that uncertainty” into future energy costs, effectively creating a hidden tax on consumers long before a verdict is reached.
