On the recordJanuary 8, 2016
With all due respect to the gentlewoman from Houston, who is my friend, the requirement of the FACT Act does not require that the settlement amount be disclosed. What it does require to be disclosed is the minimal amount of information that we believe is necessary to help prevent fraud, that is, the name of the claimant and the basis of exposure and the nature of the claim. It specifically protects all sorts of private information, in addition to the protections already built into the Bankruptcy Clause. I guess the veterans groups are divided on that. Ms. Jackson Lee listed out a group, and we have entered into the Record a list of veterans groups and other groups that support it. Of most interest to the gentlewoman from Texas should be the Texas Coalition of Veterans Organization, which represents more than 600,000 Texas veterans, supports this because they know that our young servicemen and -women that were exposed to asbestos and have not yet manifested the symptoms of mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases need to have these trusts in place so that there will be money to compensate them because they can't sue the Federal Government over sovereign immunity. This protects the veterans and makes sure there is money for future claimants. I yield back the balance of my time. The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).…
