Dick Durbin: “I wish to address the issue that was just considered before the Senate and say that I hope, now, that we can work…”

“I wish to address the issue that was just considered before the Senate and say that I hope, now, that we can work together on a bipartisan basis to find some accommodation--not to create a trust fund, in an amount that has never been established, with contributions that have never been disclosed publicly but, rather, something that is much more open and transparent. The starting point is obvious. Some States have already addressed this issue with significant changes in the existing tort system that make it more fair and quicker for victims to get compensation. I think that is the way to address this, and I hope that now we can have an effort by Members from both sides of the aisle on a bipartisan basis to establish this. I do quarrel with the leader's conclusion that special interests defeated this legislation. Let's be very honest with the American people. This bill was a clash of the special-interest titans on both sides. Senator Bennett of Utah, on the other side of the aisle, whom I respect very much, came to the floor and listed 10 major corporations that, with the passage of this legislation, would have saved $20 billion in liability--$20 billion that they would otherwise have to pay to victims of asbestos exposure around America. To say that everyone opposing this bill was a special interest but 10 companies that were $20 billion ahead if this bill passed were not special interests defies a rational explanation.…”