Political Quotes

“today the Senate passed the Product Liability Fairness Act, which I have cosponsored, by an overwhelming vote of 61-37. For those of us who have been working on this issue for a long time--my involvement dates back to 1985--this is an historic day. With passage of this balanced measure, we have taken a huge step toward improving the product liability system for everyone--for the injured people who need fast and fair compensation, for consumers who need quality products to choose from, for those American businesses who are at the cutting edge of international competition, and for workers who depend on a strong economy to support their families. I commend Senator Rockefeller and Senator Gorton, and their staffs, for their heroic efforts on this measure. From drafting the legislation, to skillfully guiding it through a lengthy debate on the Senate floor, they have worked extremely effectively. Their success is reflected in the broad bipartisan coalition that supported the bill. I also commend Senator Lieberman, my colleague from my home State of Connecticut. He authored an important section on biomaterials. That provision is designed to ensure that manufacturers of life-saving and life-enhancing medical devices have access to raw materials. In recent years, the supply of raw materials has been threatened by litigation. This is a critical problem, and I commend Senator Lieberman for crafting a promising solution.”