Pallone Demands Republicans Schedule Bipartisan Briefing with FTC on its Investigation into Big Oil Collusion

Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) wrote to Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) today demanding the Committee hold a bipartisan briefing with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on its recent allegations that Pioneer Natural Resources illegally colluded with OPEC and other Big Oil companies to deliberately keep oil prices high and drive up prices at the pump.

Today’s letter comes as a follow-up to the letter Pallone sent in May  requesting that the Committee hold a hearing on the disturbing allegations, and ahead of a Committee hearing on energy prices.

“Specifically, I requested that you schedule a hearing with Scott Sheffield, the former CEO of Pioneer Natural Resources (Pioneer), given the allegations that emerged from the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) review of the proposed merger of Exxon Mobil Corporation (Exxon) and Pioneer. As I wrote to you in May, ‘[t]he Energy and Commerce Committee has an obligation to the American people to ensure that oil companies are obeying the law.’ Unfortunately, I have not received a response to the letter, and you have taken no action to schedule a hearing with Mr. Sheffield,” Pallone wrote in today’s letter to Rodgers. “This is especially concerning given the Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Subcommittee is scheduled to have a hearing on energy prices this week, yet you have taken no action to follow up on the FTC’s allegations.”

Pallone went on to underscore that these allegations suggest Mr. Sheffield lied to the Committee under oath at a 2022 hearing. Despite this, recent press reportshave indicated several Committee Republicans were “totally unfamiliar with the findings,” with Chair Rodgers quoted as saying that she would have to “take a look” at the FTC report.

“In order to facilitate the Committee’s understanding of the allegations contained in the FTC report, I request that you ask the FTC to provide a bipartisan briefing for Members and Committee staff as soon as possible, so that we may gain a better understanding of the evidence leading to the FTC’s allegations in the redacted complaint,” Pallone continued. “I am hopeful that a briefing would help Committee Republicans understand the gravity of these allegations and the need for a hearing to get answers. Therefore, I urge you to join us in conducting constructive oversight of possible Big Oil collusion by requesting a briefing with the FTC, and as requested in my previous letter, an oversight hearing on these stunning allegations of very real harms to energy prices rather than holding a messaging hearing on baseless partisan Republican talking points.”

Since Republicans are in the House Majority, they must make the briefing request in order for the FTC to disclose non-public information to the Committee.

Pallone’s request for a bipartisan briefing with the FTC comes on the heels of Committee Democrats launching their own investigation  into Big Oil and whether companies are illegally colluding to artificially inflate prices. 

The full letter is available HERE.

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