Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of American consumers who are too often denied access to justice and forced into arbitration by contracts they were unable to negotiate fairly. The Federal Arbitration Act was enacted to resolve disputes among businesses of equal standing; not to restrict consumer access to our courts. The horrific distortion of this law has allowed certain actors to tip the scale in their favor and create an uneven playing field in the pursuit of justice. It is our responsibility to guarantee every American equal access to justice and protect the public from unfair and pernicious business practices. For this reason, I strongly support my colleague, Representative Hank Johnson's bill, the Arbitration Fairness Act. This bill would require that agreements to arbitrate employment, consumer, civil rights or anti-trust disputes be made only after the dispute has arisen. Consumers can only properly evaluate their options, and make a truly voluntary choice, after a dispute has arisen. Arbitration undeniably serves an important role in our legal system, but its use must be a choice, and not a mandate resulting from a one-sided contract. Americans deserve to choose whether court, arbitration, mediation, or any other method of dispute resolution works best for them. I urge my colleagues to join me in guaranteeing all Americans this meaningful choice by cosponsoring the Arbitration Fairness Act. ____________________”