Political Quotes

“I would point out that our tort system consumes up to 3 percent of our gross domestic product. If we need 3 rac{1}{2} growth just to sustain our economy, and our freedom, I might add, then our economy has to grow at 6 rac{1}{2} percent in order to make up for the 3 percent that is consumed in our tort system. It is a deep problem that we must address. It is a loophole in our current system that allows class action lawsuits involving plaintiffs from nearly every State to file suits in those few States that are known to be plaintiff-friendly and hostile to out-of-State defendants. These few State courts are making the decisions that set the policy for other States and the entire country. Out-of-State companies and residents are being sued in class action lawsuits in other States where their rights are being determined under those State laws. H.R. 1115 appropriately addresses this forum shopping problem by allowing Federal courts to hear class action lawsuits involving plaintiffs or defendants from multiple States or foreign countries. The biggest winners in the current class action scheme are trial lawyers, not consumers.”