Jerry Nadler: “I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 985, the so-called Fairness in…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 985, the so-called Fairness in Class Action Litigation and Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency Act. This outrageous legislation would severely limit the ability of injured consumers and workers to obtain relief through class action lawsuits. If that were not bad enough, the bill also contains a totally unrelated measure to violate the privacy of asbestos victims, and subject them to potential discrimination. Together, this legislation is just one more measure in the Republican parade of bills this week to further tilt the playing field in favor of wealthy corporations over ordinary people. Class action suits are an essential tool to enable victims of corporate wrongdoing to be compensated for their injuries and to deter future misconduct. Plaintiffs often seek to band together as a class when the potential damages they could receive individually are too low to make it practical to hire a lawyer and bring a lawsuit alone. But, as members of a class, they have the power to secure relief from a multimillion-dollar company and put an end to its illegal practices. That is exactly why the big corporations oppose them. It makes it harder for those companies to operate with impunity from the law, with little regard for the injuries they may cause.…”