Unfair Class Action & Asbestos Legislation
By: CPR @ Jan 14, 2016
Friday, the U.S. House of Representatives considered HR 1927, the so-called “Fairness in Class Action Litigation and Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency Act of 2015,” which combines two completely unrelated bills—asbestos and class actions—into a single piece of legislation that enables corporations to avoid accountability when they’ve harmed consumers and knowingly exposed American workers and families to asbestos. The bill is bad legislation with the express purpose to take away the right to full compensation from people wrongfully injured through no fault of their own.
Everyone knew that the bill would pass. The questions was how much opposition there would be. Bills that have a lot of opposition even if they pass usually lose the steam to pass both houses and then be signed into law. Although the bill passed the House mostly along party lines as expected with a vote of 211 to 188, 16 republicans voted against the bill, 1 republican voted present, and ZERO democrats voted for the bill. The number of votes against the bill sends a strong message to the Senate that the bill is hugely controversial and opposed by democrats and republicans, a massive number of organizations, and the Obama Administration.
Attached are numerous letters opposing the bill from over 100 national veteran and service member, civil rights, labor, consumer, first responder, teacher, victim, and public health organizations, and the Statement of Administrative Policy (SAP).
We ask for your support in continuing to oppose this anti-consumer , anti-worker and anti-veteran legislation.
In particular we thank the following legislators who had the courage to fight for those wrongfully injured Americans people who would have otherwise had no voice against this horrific legislation.
Democratic members who heroically spoke on the floor against the legislation are listed below:
- Degette (D-CO)
- Johnson (D-GA)
- Cohen (D-TN)
- Schakowsky (D-IL)
- Conyers (D-MI)
- Hastings (D-FL)
- Watson-Coleman (D-NJ)
- Welch (D-VT)
- Delbene (D-WA)
- Peters (D-CA)
- Jeffries (D-NY)
- Jackson Lee (D-TX)
- Leader Pelosi (D-CA)
- Whip Hoyer (D-MD)
- Cartwright (D-PA)
- Scott (D-VA)
- Green (D-TX)
- Deutsch (D-FL)
- Moore (D-WI)
- Waters (D-CA)
- Nadler (D-NY)
- McCollum (D-MN)
Additionally, below is a list of the 16 brave Republicans who bucked their party’s leadership and voted against the bill.
- Amash (MI)
- Burgess (TX)
- Costello (PA)
- Curbelo (FL)
- Diaz-Balart (FL)
- Duncan (TN)
- Fitzpatrick (PA)
- Gibson (NY)
- LoBiondo (NJ)
- Massie (KY)
- McKinley (WV)
- Meehan (PA)
- Rogers (AL)
- Russell (OK)
- Zinke (MT)
- Griffith (VA) voted present
ABA letter opposing HR 1927
ADAO Opposition to HR 1927
ADAO Special Report – Asbestos In The Capitol – Our Story Could Become Your Story
AFL-CIO’s Opposition to HR 1927
Asbestos patients and families say vote no on FACT Act
Coalition Letter Opposing HR 1927
Coalition Opposing HR 1927
First Responders and Teachers oppose HR 1927
Labor-Occupational Health Groups Oppose HR1927
Protect Victim Privacy – Oppose HR 1927
Public Citizen Opposes HR 1927
Statement of Administration Policy – HR 1927
Veteran Service Organizations Oppose HR 1927
