Harold Volkmer: “I am really truly amazed. I heard this morning when I came over the Speaker talk about what great things they had done…”

“I am really truly amazed. I heard this morning when I came over the Speaker talk about what great things they had done yesterday with the legislation, but one of the things he did not mention in that legislation was the exemption of certain insurance policies under that health bill from State regulation. Now we do not have any Federal regulation. That is taking away States' rights from the majority. Mr. Speaker, they always talk about States' rights, what States should be able to do, and then in this bill, right in this bill, one of the worst things I have ever seen proposed is that in product liability cases, in the future under this legislation, in the State court, we are not going to be able to follow State law. Never, never in the history of this country has that been done, never. We cannot follow State law. We have to follow this law in State courts. It preempts all 50 State product liability laws as relates to suits by consumers. But if it is a suit by a commercial firm against a manufacturer, it is not preempted. Hey, wait a minute. Why? Well, that is business and business. It is OK for business and business, State law. But when it comes to consumers and manufacturers, then it is not.”