Political Quotes

“being mindful of yesterday's passage of SAFETEA, I rise to speak to an issue that was not addressed in the Senate bill. This is an area of the legal system needing reform that affects interstate commerce in the transportation sector--vicarious liability. These types of laws exist in only a handful of States where nonnegligent owners of rented and leased vehicles are liable for the actions of vehicle operators. Although a vehicle renting or leasing company may take every precaution to ensure that a vehicle is in optimal operating condition and meets every safety standard, these companies can still be subject to costly lawsuits due to the actions of the vehicle's operator, over which the company has no control. Under these laws, leasing or rental companies can be liable simply because they are the owner of the vehicle. Though only a few States enforce laws that threaten nonnegligent companies with unlimited vicarious liability, they affect consumers and businesses from all 50 States. Vicarious liability means higher consumer costs in acquiring vehicles and buying insurance and means higher commercial costs for the transportation of goods. Left unreformed, these laws could have a devastating, effect on an increasing number of small businesses that have done nothing wrong. The House acted in H.R.…”