Political Quotes

“I begin by commending the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Frost] for a valiant effort that nonetheless has produced the most grievous rule that I have had to work on in my career in the Congress. On the matter of product liability, not discussed in this Chamber for many years, we now are presented with a modified closed rule, 6 hours of debate, 15 amendments designated by name, limited by amount of time, none being given over 40 minutes, none, and under these circumstances it makes legislating almost a travesty. I want this body to know that I have never felt so badly about the way that we have been treated in the Committee on Rules, not just this side, but the whole Congress, in taking up this measure. Mr. Speaker, right off the bat, we are not going to be able to do much about the preemption of State laws, because we are putting caps on punitive damages on State laws. In New Jersey, the damages, punitive damages that are now available against sexual predators will now be capped by this law. In Minnesota, a victim injured or killed by a driver under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the punitive damages will be capped under this law. In Illinois, punitive damages that are available to any person who sells or transfers an illegal drug to a child will be capped under this law. This is absolutely outrageous, that we would be taking a few minutes to quickly run through a bill in a contractual effort to keep within a time limit.”