Joseph T. Burns: “today I rise on this subject and first of all I want to congratulate--maybe that is not the word--the chairman of the…”

“today I rise on this subject and first of all I want to congratulate--maybe that is not the word--the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, for tackling this important problem. I can't think of a time or a piece of legislation that has been so complicated and so important to my State of Montana. So I want to tell the chairman of the Judiciary Committee that the statement he made is right on target. Some of us that have been impacted by asbestos and asbestos- related diseases take this very seriously. We need to vote to proceed. I want to tell you why I am involved in this and there are a couple of other issues that are also burning in our office right now that need my personal attention. When you go to Libby, MT, it is a little town in northwest Montana on the Kootenai River, and the W.R. Grace Company had a mine up there. And if you are not torn on this issue, both sides of it, the statement of Eva Thomson from up there I will just read her statement. That is why I am giving my statement with regard to Libby, because it is an isolated case. Eva Thomson said: I have two sons, both them and I have asbestos-related disease. But they are not eligible by the standards in the existing bill as it is today. If the bill cannot be done right to protect us victims, please don't pass it at all. We place 225 crosses in the cemetery this Memorial Day in remembrance of asbestos victims. There are more than 20 new crosses this year. We need help, real help, and she thanks me.…”