Al Franken

OK. I believe one of the witnesses, either Mr. Schwartz or Mr. Drahozal--I think it was Mr. Schwartz--said that one of the myths is there is not due process.

Well, I think we get the idea.

So when we are using empirical research, there are numbers and then there are damn lies, right?

The Arbitration Fairness Act is about both consumers and employees.

Adhesive contracts or contracts of adhesion are really where you have no choice.

I am troubled that our private arbitration system is, at least in part, eclipsing the United States Supreme Court.

That hardly seems like due process.

So the court ruled that because an infinitesimal number of people could get their money back, their $3 a month back, then you could not go to court?

I would submit that they do not know their--I do not think this is voluntary.

I want to reiterate my sincere goal that today we can find some common ground.

I think Americans today are the people in the history of the planet who are most bedeviled by fine print.

I am sticking around for a third round. I am not sure if you have to go.

The Unabomber could have avoided a mandatory arbitration clause.

Mandatory arbitration is allowing employers to ignore this country's civil laws, civil rights laws, and never to be held accountable.

I mean, it is an amazing coincidence about that, and I think that it is too bad our colleagues are not here to be as upset about that as they would be.

I reviewed some of Mr. Schwartz's past writings, and in them he criticized State Attorneys General for engaging in lawsuits on behalf of injured persons in their States, saying that it was 'a subversion of 200 years of law,' and that it…

The Internet is not a luxury item any more. It is a necessity today, and it is only going to become an even greater necessity in the years to come.

Unfortunately, Native American communities continue to lag way behind in broadband access. This puts these at a huge disadvantage in an already troubled economic climate.

I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? ``There appears to be a sufficient second. The clerk will call the roll. The legislative clerk called the roll.

I personally wouldn't. I wouldn't. I would find something else to do.

They need to explain to businesses and consumers what they are doing and why.

In fact, I think you said that.

I asked, I said, 'why do you enjoy it?', and he said, he likes joking around with his supervisor.

So we have relatively higher need in Indian Country.

I have just one basic question.