Big Oil is reportedly lobbying Congress to grant their industry legal protection against a growing number of lawsuits that, if successful, could make oil and gas companies pay billions of dollars for deceiving the public about the dangers of fossil fuels. In the most extreme scenario, Big Oil could follow the example of an industry that won a near-blanket immunity from Congress two decades ago — gun manufacturers.

The gun lobby achieved its top legislative priority in 2005 when Congress passed the federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA). Signed by President George W. Bush, the law immunized gun manufacturers and sellers from lawsuits for injuries “resulting from the criminal or unlawful misuse” of a firearm.

At the time, more than thirty cities and individuals had filed lawsuits arguing that the companies’ negligent marketing, design, and distribution practices were endangering the public and leading to gun violence. Survivors, families of victims, and public officials sought to recover some of the costs they faced as a result of shootings — such as emergency and health care services and loss of income for families — and to compel gun makers to improve safety standards.