Jay Rockefeller

I simply, as a member of the Finance Committee, wanted to go on record as saying that the nondiscrimination aspect--this is not just racial, but we are talking just about the higher employer as opposed to the lowest employer--that…

I am a proponent of responsibly reducing the deficit, as are many of my colleagues. I, too, want to eliminate wasteful spending. But this conference report on the line-item veto bill is not the right way to ensure deficit reduction or…

I agree. I am troubled that I continue to hear opponents of product liability reform, claim that these laws will be adversely affected by the proposed legislation.

I think rather than to try to go into that, it would be better to focus on what this law is trying to do and why it is a good conference report. In a matter of a couple of hours, we are going to pass this conference report. It will pass…

the conference report does, however, provide the following: legal fairness for product sellers; a rule to discourage illegal use of alcohol and drugs--we cannot stop it but to discourage it, certainly not to reward it--a proconsumer…

we have been seeing a lot of paper about this conference reports' effects on so-called dram shop laws which allow victims of drunk driving crashes to seek recovery from those individuals or establishments who negligently sell, or serve…

And that remains true, regardless of the fact that the applicability section of the conference report, says that the act applies to ``any product liability action brought in any State or Federal Court on any theory for harm caused by a…

I think we should say to our colleagues that the product seller provision's application does not mean that these cases will be affected.

section 103 of the bill, the so- called product sellers provision, imposes liability when a product seller fails to exercise reasonable care with respect to a product. If a tavern owner fails to exercise reasonable care in selling alcohol…

I am very happy that the Senate, at long last, is taking this bill up. We have been here before; we have been here many times before. I wish we could have gotten here sooner this year. Nevertheless, I am glad we are here. I think there is…

I strongly endorse the Hollings- Daschle-Kerrey-Lieberman-Bingaman-Rockefeller-Kerry Amendment to H.R. 3019 that was debated last night, and to praise Senator Hollings for offering this amendment that I cosponsored. This amendment would…

Education determines our future--the future of our children, our States, and our Nation. Without a good education, children in West Virginia cannot fulfill their potential. Our country must increase its commitment to education, not pare it…

In general, I believe that our country must improve our Federal job training programs to reduce fragmentation and increase efficiency. I also firmly believe that we should maintain our longstanding commitments to workers who are dislocated…

I wish we could solve all of our problems with a button; it would make it a lot better. What interests me about this amendment, Mr. President, in a sense, it may be the most important amendment we are making to this bill and yet it has…

I urge the Senate to improve the welfare reform bill before us by voting for this very important amendment known as ``Work First.'' This is not a subject where we should pretend that legislating is like ordering fast-food. Welfare reform…

What I think I have a real problem with is the fact that debate honestly changes people's minds, a good debate. I think as a result of the debate last night on one of our amendments a number of minds were changed. In this case, where we…

I agree with what the Senator from the State of Washington said in argument to this amendment. Just for the edification of my colleagues--this fact has not been brought out, I do not believe, in the debate--we have removed caps, but people…

I am proud to give the Senate a chance, finally, to cast its vote on a balanced legislative remedy. I am relieved we restored a bill simply dealing with product liability and with the important changes worked out in the final hours that…

Yes, asbestos-related injuries and deaths are covered by the toxic harm exception to the statute of repose. amendment no. 790

This list sets the precedents and authorities supporting the constitutionality of requiring judges to determine the amount of punitive damages. And is therefore valuable information to be considered in this debate. I rely on the word and…

I strongly hope that the concurrent resolution will be agreed to. The President of Taiwan has studied and taught at Cornell, as well as Iowa State. This is a single visit. It fits within the guidelines of the policy review carried out by…

not only do I agree with everything that my able colleague from the State of Washington has said, the Harkin amendment adds a new section to the bill for setting punitive damages against businesses with 25 or more employees. It has to be…

I found myself on the telephone advising distinguished Senators with years of experience to vote for what we just voted on and then 5 minutes later to vote against it. But the fact is that, as the Senator from Washington indicated, there…

I will vote against both cloture motions. I will not vote for one and against the other, against one and for the other. I will vote against both. I want both to fail because there are those of us who believe that this bill needs to be kept…

I am rising to talk about a problem that persists year after year, and a bill to do something about it. I'm speaking of our trade deficit, which is out of control. Certainly, we are making progress on some micro-economic levels, and the…