The chamber has previously attracted the ire of environmental groups, which have accused it of thwarting environmental protections at the behest of industry. The advocacy group 350.org, for example, has launched a campaign called “The U.S. Chamber Doesn’t Speak for Me,” which encourages companies to publicly declare their independence from the lobbying group.

The chamber's website declares it "supports comprehensive legislation to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases while providing for a strong American economy," and the site for the chamber's Institute for 21st Century Energy adds that “the United States should continue to be the world leader in climate change science.” And indeed, pressed by Karpinski on Tuesday, Harbert acknowledged “the climate has been changing [and] humans are contributing to that.”