Political Quotes

“From the outset, let me make it clear I have long been a supporter of tort reform. I believe the proliferation of baseless lawsuits and runaway jury awards is having a profound negative effect on many Americans, and indeed on the American economy. For these reasons I was a strong supporter of the Class Action Fairness Act that was signed into law earlier this year. I also support reforming the asbestos litigation system and I support medical malpractice liability reform. In my view, measured, balanced reforms to our tort system can address very real problems. That is the purpose of this amendment. Indeed, throughout history Congress has responded to very real problems in our tort system by passing reasonable tort reform measures. In 1994, Congress passed the General Aviation Revitalization Act. The law does not bar lawsuits altogether against the airline industry. Instead, it bars any product liability suit against a manufacturer involving planes more than 18 years old with fewer than 20 seats. I remember that legislation as if it were yesterday, to the everlasting credit of one of my classmates, who joined when I came into the Senate 20-some-odd years ago, Nancy Kassebaum. She was the author of that historic breakthrough in tort reform as a Senator. In 1996, Congress passed the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act.…”