Political Quotes

“I wish to make a few observations regarding the effort sponsored by Senator McConnell to add comprehensive medical malpractice reform to the product liability legislation currently pending before us. I was much torn about the McConnell amendment because I support medical malpractice reform and believe the time has come to profoundly change the current system. Yet, in the end, I decided to vote against the McConnell amendment. I did so because I was deeply concerned that adding this desirable but controversial reform effort to the pending legislation would gravely endanger the cause of product liability reform, a cause I have supported for many years. After many years of frustration I have real hope that we will achieve product liability reform in this Congress and I wanted to avoid any action which would endanger that hope. I would add that I was persuaded in this regard by the sponsor of the product liability reform effort, Senator Rockefeller. However, I look forward to the opportunity to fully address medical malpractice reform later in this Congress when the issues can be aired fully and not be encumbered by the desire to achieve progress in other areas of legal system reform. While I do not support all the provisions of the McConnell amendment, I do support its thrust and would welcome the opportunity to debate the issue strictly on its own merits.”