Larry Pressler: “As we conclude the debate over S. 565, the Product Liability Fairness Act, we have come full circle. Committee action on…”

“As we conclude the debate over S. 565, the Product Liability Fairness Act, we have come full circle. Committee action on March 15 I joined with Senators Gorton and Rockefeller in introducing legislation designed to reform that portion of America's tort system dealing with products liability. Two days of hearings were conducted on the bill and on April 6 the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, of which I am chairman, met in executive session to consider the legislation. During the committee process there was talk of expanding the bill to encompass a broader array of tort reform. As chairman, I resisted efforts to expand the legislation into any areas that did not fall within the jurisdiction of the Commerce Committee. Do not get me wrong. I support more broad-based tort reform. My voting record over the past 2 weeks proves that fact. However, during committee consideration I believed it was important not to add provisions that fall under the province of other Senate committees. As a result, on April 6 the Commerce Committee voted 13 to 6 to send a products liability reform bill to the full Senate.”