02.21.19

Oversight Hearing on Feb. 26 Will Examine “The Denial Playbook” – Witnesses Include Ex-NFL Player, Recovering Opioid Addict, Climate Denial Expert

Washington, D.C. – The Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee will hold a Feb. 26 hearing titled The Denial Playbook: How Industries Manipulate Science and Policy from Climate Change to Public Health. Witnesses at the hearing – part of the Natural Resources Committee’s historic month-long series of hearings on climate change – will speak to the tactics used by various industries to mislead the public about health and environmental risks and explain how to recognize the signs of a denialist misinformation campaign in any field.

The full witness list as of this afternoon is available below. As with all hearings, the event is open to media and the public.

Majority Witnesses

  • Chris Borland, Retired NFL player

Chris Borland is a former linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League.  He retired early from a successful career because of concerns about chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a neurological condition caused by repeated blows to the head and body experienced by professional, college, and early age football players.

  • Mr. Ryan Hampton, Founder, Voices Project

Ryan Hampton is a national addiction recovery advocate and person in sustained recovery from 10 years of active opioid use. He has worked with multiple non-profits and community organizing campaigns—including the nation’s top addiction recovery advocacy organizations.

  • Ms. Alexandra Precup

Ms. Precup is a native of Puerto Rico who was displaced by Hurricane Maria. She will speak to the effects of climate change on her and her family.

  • Dr. David Michaels, Professor, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, George Washington University

Dr. Michaels is the former Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health. He is among the nation’s top experts in disinformation campaigns, including climate denial, and will speak to the ways in which denial campaigns across industries share similar recognizable traits.

Press Contact

Adam Sarvana

(202) 225-6065 or (202) 578-6626 mobile