Pete Sessions

Yes. We have a terrible problem in Texas. Just outside of Dallas, in a neighboring community, we have had a minimum of eight heroin-related deaths by teenagers in the last year. Of course, this is causing a lot of inward thought to the…

With regard to that, I was, I could say, a victim. That is the way I saw it with that very type of ad late in the campaign asking people to call Jeff Sessions and say you are opposed to A, B, C, or D--to things he had done while in office…

I think we have to consider the problem of trying to contain free speech in America. I really am troubled by it. I was a victim of it. I got angry at the time. Now I wonder why I should feel obliged to tell those trial lawyers and…

Of course it does. We have many, many people who have come to our country with not only opportunities for their lives but have brought high-technology abilities to our country. They want to make sure that we are selling our products…

I understand one of the grants that was reported yesterday went to Philipps Academy, one of the most exclusive private prep schools, I think, in America. That is what I understood the reference to be. Do you think there are schools, public…

Let me ask the Senator this, and this is something I think we failed to think enough about, Mr. President. This money that is being spent in our States, the decision of where and how to spend that money primarily is being decided by a…

I believe it was Senator Helms yesterday who talked about substantial grants being given to Harvard University, which has an endowment of over $6 billion, I believe, and Yale University. Does the Senator know if those figures are correct…

Whitney funding almost matched the entire funding of the State of Alabama. It is a concern. We have one of the finest Shakespeare festivals in the world. As a matter of fact, the Shakespeare theater in Montgomery is well renowned, and…

I say the distinguished Senator from Kentucky raises a very important and troubling point. It is, in my opinion, at least improper if not unethical for an attorney representing a party to enter into private negotiations with the person he…

That is correct. To my understanding, Minnesota is the only State that has objected to the global settlement. They are going to have to be treated separately in any case.

The Senator from Kentucky is precisely correct. These parties, both sides--do not forget, the tobacco industry is in here, too, asking us to approve it, and the tobacco industry also does not want to talk about how much they are paying…

A vote for the Sessions amendment is a vote to put that extra money in the children's health care.

We think there are going to be some real jackpot fees awarded here, under the way this case ended so abruptly. That really exacerbates the unfairness of it. The litigation was filed. Many people thought it would last for years. Then, all…

I don't think it would apply if the case went on to litigation because it would not be part of the global settlement. Our bill does not take effect unless there is an act of this Congress that globally settles the litigation.

I believe that the correct interpretation of this amendment and the intention of it would be, if a case went on to litigation and was not a part of the global settlement, it would not be covered by this agreement. But any settlements that…

I have three questions. First, do you know whether the attorneys in the Minnesota case are being compensated on a contingent fee basis, that is, in which they would get a percentage of the recovery, and in many of these States they have…

Did the Senator know that this Senator refused to take money from the tobacco industry as attorney general and has sought tougher laws against the sale of tobacco to children and is not a tool or pawn of any tobacco company? In fact, I am…

That is the first one. Second, is the Senator aware that, with regard to the receipt or copying of the documents, those are expenses which are not covered by this bill, or at least this bill provides a full payment of expenses to attorneys…

Would the Senator be agreeable to this amendment if we reworded it, in fact, make it apply to the tobacco lawyers? I will certainly feel good about that. The reason it was done this way is because many of the plaintiffs' attorneys…

My understanding is that States that have settled have conditioned their settlement on the requirements of the congressional global settlement. If there is no congressional action, then their settlements will be in full force and effect…

I would like to respond. I think you raise a very interesting point. First, I say it is unusual that the States would come to this body and ask the Congress of the United States to ratify a lawsuit, but they have. Our bill does not take…

I do think that, depending on the wording of these understandings between the attorneys general and lawyers, that the fee may be a percentage of the whole $500 billion that the Senator referred to.

This Member says that I would oppose strongly any more funding of a $22 million election, and I am prepared to vote against it in that regard.

And they chose to exercise that option. I think this body has the right to say we don't think we should exercise the next option; at least we are not going to fund it.

Let's look at what the Department of Justice memorandum says. The point of the Department of Justice memorandum about the 1996 election was that it concluded the Departments of Justice and Labor believed they should be involved in…