I would like to mention the situation concerning the budget negotiations. As Senator Specter said, they are really eight-tenths of 1 percent from reaching agreement in dollars and cents. It constitutes more than $12 trillion over a 7-year…

I think the Senate, basically, has endeavored to act very reasonably in approaching this issue pertaining to the shutdown of the Government, getting the Federal employees back on the job. I think Senator Dole's speech on ``enough is…

like each and every Member of this body, I was surprised--shocked is not too strong a word--when our colleague from New Jersey announced that he would not be running for a fourth term in the Senate. I could not help but feeling that with…

when our colleague from Rhode Island announced his retirement, I could not help but think of what a gentleman he is and what an example he has set for this body over the course of his 35-year career in the Senate. He is the walking…

this amendment will provide funds for test equipment for the U.S. Army. The Army plans to field a number of modernized combat vehicles in the years ahead including the M1A2, the upgraded Bradley, the new breacher, and the new light tank…

I rise in strong support of, and am proud to lend my cosponsorship to, the Farm Credit System Regulatory Relief Act of 1995. The Farm Credit System has played a central role in providing capital to farming families for decades. However, as…

On August 19, 1944, Parisians rose up in defiance of their German occupiers as Hitler ordered his army to destroy the city. His generals, however, delayed the order, and American and Free French Forces liberated Paris on August 25…

this is chart entitled ``Preemption of State Product Liability Laws,'' and it has a column of State laws more favorable to plaintiffs and State laws more favorable to defendants and what happens as regards preemption under this…

Dr. Wayne Teague served as Alabama's Superintendent of Education for almost 20 years, from October 1975 through March 31 of this year. During his tenure as Alabama's top educator, public education in Alabama has prospered. His many years…

During the course of debate in discussing the breadth of the products liability bill, I mentioned that a nuclear power plant or a component part thereof could be included within the purview of the products liability bill. I also stated…

In the case of Dimick versus Schiedt, a 1935 Supreme Court case, the High Court ruled that the district court lacked the power to deny a plaintiff a new trial, sought on the ground that the jury award of damages was too low, when the trial…

I am rather surprised to hear my good friend from Washington, who has long been an advocate of federalism, come forward with language from the screaming Federal Eagle over States saying: "Alabama, you change your law or else you don't get…

this bill ought to be determined kill them, not injure them. Certainly in regard to the DeWine small business amendment, where it is the lesser of $250,000 or two times noneconomic and economic damages, you can have instances in death…

I considered this to be an extremely unfair bill. While it was titled the 'Product Liability Fairness' bill, there were numerous provisions that were one-sided and which attempted to take away rather basic rights of a claimant in a…

In regard to the alternate dispute resolution, if I recall right--I do not have it before me right now--there was a GAO study which indicated that they thought the bill would increase the transaction costs and that one of the reasons for…

I was interested in what the Senator had to say about whether the Senator really does anticipate that the passage of this bill would reduce insurance costs. The Senator has given a couple of reasons why certain things are outside. But as I…

I have come to somewhat agree with the Senator in regards to this. I have always been sort of puzzled as why that was put in there. Of course, in original ideas on alternate dispute resolution methods, some of the States have had what they…

I was speaking of the GAO report. I do not have it before me. But as I recall the GAO report indicated that the provisions of the bill--maybe it was a predecessor of it--in their judgment would not reduce transactions costs, and that one…

I am delighted to hear Senator Rockefeller state that the way the bill stands now, it is deformed and disfigured. That reminds me that this bill, as it stands right now, is pretty much similar to what the House passed. I do not think…

I might inquire of the Senator if there was testimony--I do not know whether it was this year or last year--from the American Insurance Association, one of their officers, which basically said that passage of the bill would not, I repeat…

All right. Now, I am not sure that I understand this provision, the last one, which is No. 8. It reads: In section 102(c), add the following new paragraph: (8) create a cause of action or provide for jurisdiction by a Federal Court under…

All right. So, now, if I understand it from the Senator's speech and also Senator Simon's speech, the Senator's idea is that this would be an experiment, in effect a pilot program for a period of time in which you would determine how it…

again, let me address some of the things that I think have escaped the attention of people--the interrelationship with the Dole amendment and the underlying bill, the underlying Gorton substitute--which deal with the issue pertaining to…

the Senator keeps using the word ``interstate.'' As I read the language that we have now adopted, it is applied in regard to punitive damages in any civil action whose subject matter affects commerce, not interstate commerce, but commerce…

Now, Erie versus Tompkins basically says that State law prevails in diversity cases and prevails in Federal cases in the event that the Federal law is not written to approach it. In other words, if there is a void in Federal law, then the…