Top executives from BP, Chevron, ExxonMobil and Shell appeared before the House Oversight Committee Thursday. During six hours of testimony, they repeatedly refused to pledge to stop lobbying against congressional efforts to combat the climate crisis. New York Democrat Carolyn Maloney gaveled in the hearing.

Rep. Carolyn Maloney: “This is a historic hearing. For the first time, top fossil fuel executives are testifying together before Congress, under oath, about the industry’s role in causing climate change and their efforts to cover it up. For far too long Big Oil has escaped accountability for its central role in bringing our planet to the brink of a climate catastrophe. That ends today.”

Throughout Thursday’s hearing, Republicans repeatedly apologized to the oil company executives, while progressives grilled them over their campaign to prevent action on the climate crisis. This is New York Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: “One thing that often gets lost in these conversations is that some of us have to actually live the future that you all are setting on fire for us. By 2028, crop yields are already projected to begin to fail, with famine beginning to hit the world’s most vulnerable populations.”

Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney said she plans to issue subpoenas to force oil executives to turn over documents detailing what their own scientists were saying internally about climate change, as well as Big Oil’s efforts to misinform the public.