Saxby Chambliss: “I rise in support of the Class Action Fairness Act of 2003. Today we are going to have a cloture vote to determine…”

“I rise in support of the Class Action Fairness Act of 2003. Today we are going to have a cloture vote to determine whether or not we move forward with this bill. I hope we obtain the 60 votes to move forward. To a great extent, the bulk of the tort reform--that is needed in this country needs to be handled at the State level. States have their own ideas about what kind of tort reform ought to take place. I hope that is where tort reform--that each State decides it needs in and of itself--does take place. However, as the tort system now stands, there are about a handful of State court jurisdictions in the United States where a tremendously disproportionate number of class action lawsuits are filed. That is just not right. People have referred to these jurisdictions as 'magnet courts' because they draw in class action suits with their soft juries and pro-plaintiff judges. Under the Class Action Fairness Act, businesses can break loose from these magnet State courts and get a fair trial in Federal court.”