Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, H.R. 2366 in my mind is a focused, tightly-crafted bill that will reduce unnecessary litigation and legal costs. It is careful not to overreach, and as such, gives us the opportunity to respond on a bipartisan basis to the concerns we have been hearing year after year from smaller employers about our civil justice system. For the smallest of the Nation's businesses, those with less than 25 employees, Title I will abolish joint liability for noneconomic damages and to limit punitive damages. States may elect to opt out and instead apply their own joint liability and punitive damages rules in cases brought in State court when the parties are all citizens of the same State. Further, these provisions do not apply to civil cases that may arise from certain violations of criminal law or egregious misconduct. Today our smallest enterprises operate in fear that they will be named as a defendant in a lawsuit, be found minimally responsible for the claimant's harm, but be maximally crushed under the weight of all the damages as a result of the application of joint or deep pockets liability. Most States have recognized the inequity of the unfettered application of joint liability and have acted to abolish or restrain it in some way. The Small Business Liability Reform Act adopts a fair, balanced approach by limiting the noneconomic damages exposure of a small business defendant to its own proportionate share.”