[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 85 (Wednesday, June 29, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 29, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                        PRODUCT LIABILITY REFORM

  Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Madam President, I just want to indicate, as the 
chief sponsor of the legislation, product liability reform, which has 
just been sent back to the Senate's calendar, that I am disappointed, 
but, on the other hand, I am not defeated. We simply have to persevere 
on this matter.
  I want to say how proud I am to have worked with Senator Gorton. 
There are no words to express how deep my respect is for his abilities 
and skills. I have the same respect for the good Senators from 
Connecticut, Joe Lieberman and Chris Dodd, and others who helped us on 
this.
  And the people who never do get thanked are the people that do all of 
the work, Tamera Stanton, on my staff, who is not even a lawyer, but 
who sat by me and just was incredible in the way she did this work; Tom 
Morgan of my own staff; John Nakahata, Tiger Joyce, Terri Claffey, they 
are from other Senators' staffs; Tony Orza, Alan Maness, Peter Kinzler, 
Gerron Levy, Greg Rohde, and there are others.
  But the work and the intensity was enormous, the pressure was great. 
The result was democracy at work, and I understand that. And I just 
want to thank those who worked so hard and to thank all of the Senators 
who took this issue seriously and voted their feelings on it.
  I thank the Chair and I yield the floor.
  Mr. GORTON addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Washington.
  Mr. GORTON. Madam President, I want to, in turn, thank the Senator 
from West Virginia for his kindness and for his courtesy and for his 
never-failing goodwill. In many respects his assignment in this 
connection was far more difficult than my own. But it was a pleasure to 
work with him and I know he joins me in saying, ``The same time, same 
place next year.'' We will be back. He is correct, it is a valid cause 
and one of these days we are going to win it. I thank him.
  I join him in his commendation for members of the staff on both 
sides, my own, on the minority side, and the Senator from West 
Virginia's staff and all of the rest who have helped him. And I know 
that their dedication will remain and we will try to do better the next 
time around.
  Mr. HOLLINGS. Madam President, in all fairness, let us not just thank 
the trial lawyers of America. They obviously worked and the record will 
show they worked for the injured parties, and it is not easy, but, in 
addition to them, I ask unanimous consent that we include in the Record 
here the list of the organizations, such as the American Bar 
Association, the Conference of State Supreme Court Justices, the Chief 
Justices of those Supreme Courts, the National Conference of the 
Legislatures, the State Attorneys General Association, and all the 
women's associations and the Consumer Federation, Public Citizen. I ask 
unanimous consent that this list be printed in the Record for my 
genuine gratitude for their leadership.
  There being no objection, the list was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                      Consumers for Civil Justice

       NJ Environmental Federation.
       NAACP.
       NOW--National Organization of Women.
       Industrial Union Council.
       Black Issues Convention.
       NJ Citizen Action.
       New Jersey Environmental Lobby (NJEL).
       IUE, AFL-CIO.
       United Auto Workers (UAW--Region 9).
       NJ Hemophilia Foundation.
       Central Jersey Spinal Cord Injury Assn.
       NJ White Lung.
       Central Labor Union--AFL-CIO.
       Communications Workers of America (CWA-AFL-CIO).
       CHILD-Cape May
       Amalgamated Transit Union.
       American Litoral Society.
       Arthur Kill Watershed Association.
       Aspira, Inc. of New Jersey.
       Association to Improve Benefits.
       Bayonne Citizens for Clean Air.
       Bergen Labor Council, AFL-CIO.
       Bergen Save the Watershed Action Network (SWAN).
       Boilermaker's Local 28.
       Center for Visual Arts.
       Chemical Workers Association.
       Clean Ocean Action (COA).
       Coalition Against Toxics--Camden County.
       Columbian Federation.
       Committee of Internists and Residents.
       Concerned Citizens of Union County.
       Concerned Citizens of Wayne.
       Copeland Surveying, Inc.
       Cornucopia Network of New Jersey.
       Council of N.J. State College Locals--AFT.
       Creative Risk Services, Inc.
       CWA Local 1032.
       CWA Local 1081.
       DES Action--New Jersey.
       Edison Wetlands Association.
       Environmental Response Network--Atlantic County.
       Grassroots Environmental Coalition (GREO).
       Hospital Professionals & Allied Employees.
       Hudson Labor Council.
       IBEW Local 1032.
       Implant Victim Action Committee.
       International Association of Machinists.
       International Federation of Professional Technical 
     Employees.
       Ironbound Committee Against Toxic Waste.
       Local 8-149--OCAW.
       Local 262, Retail, Wholesale Dept. Store Union--United Food 
     & Commercial Workers.
       Local 617 Service Employees International Union.
       Machinist Union Local 914.
       Mercer Environmental Coalition.
       Middlesex County Environmental Coalition.
       Monmouth County Citizens for Clean Air.
       Monmouth County Friends of Clearwater.
       N.J. Coalition of Labor Union Women.
       Network for Environmental & Economic Responsibility at 
     United Church of Christ.
       New Jersey Right to Know and Act Coalition.
       Newark Teachers Union.
       NJ Coalition of Occupational Safety & Health.
       NJ PIRG.
       Ocean County Citizens for Clean Water.
       People United for a Klean Environment--Burlington.
       Peoples Medical Society.
       PHILOPOSH.
       Pompton Lakes Against Pollution.
       Princeton Area Committee of NJEF.
       Public Citizen.
       Rain Forest Relief.
       Rutgers AAUP.
       Sheetmetal Workers Local Union 27.
       Sierra Club, NJ Chapter.
       Skylands Clean.
       Teamsters Local 945.
       The Command Trust, East Coast Connection Silicone Breast 
     Implant Support Group.
       TMJ Association.
       United Labor Agency.
       United Passaic Organization (UPO).
       United Transportation Union Local 60.
       Utility Co-Workers' Association.
       VOCCAL--Oakland.
       W.A.T.E.R.--Vineland.


   list of organizations and individuals opposed to federal product 
                         liability legislation

       AFL-CIO.
       Alliance for Justice.
       American Association of Retired Persons.
       American Bar Association.
       American Council of the Blind.
       American Lung Association.
       American Public Health Association.
       Americans for Democratic Action.
       Asbestos Victims' Education and Information.
       Asbestos Victims of America.
       Brown Lung Association.
       California PIRG.
       Citizen Action.
       Colorado PIRG.
       Conference of Chief Justices.
       Connecticut PIRG.
       Consumer Federation of America.
       Consumers Union.
       Dalkon Shield Claimants' Committee.
       DES Action USA.
       Disability Rights and Education Fund.
       Environmental Action.
       Florida PIRG.
       Friends of the Earth.
       Illinois PIRG.
       Maryland PIRG.
       Massachusetts PIRG.
       Michigan Citizens Lobby.
       Minnesota PIRG.
       National Association for Public Health Policy.
       National Campaign Against Toxic Hazards.
       National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides.
       National Conference of State Legislatures.
       National Consumers League.
       National Insurance Consumers Organization.
       National Spinal Cord Injury Association.
       National Women's Health Network.
       New Jersey Citizen Action.
       New Jersey PIRG.
       New Mexico PIRG.
       Oregon State PIRG.
       Pennsylvania PIRG.
       PIRG in Michigan.
       Pubic Citizen.
       Public Voice for Food and Health Policy.
       Ralph Nader.
       Service Employees International Union, Local 82.
       Sierra Club.
       Trauma Foundation.
       United Auto Workers.
       United States Public Interest Research Group.
       United Steel Workers.
       Vermont PIRG.
       Washington PIRG.
       White Lung Association.
       Wisconsin PIRG.

  Mr. HEFLIN. Madam President, I will just take 30 seconds. I want to 
file at a later time all the staff members that worked on this so 
diligently and to thank them. I do not want to omit anyone, so I will 
be filing that later or speaking later thanking them for all of their 
work, and including any other organization that was omitted, I just 
want it be comprehensive and inclusive.
  Mr. BAUCUS. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in 
morning business for 10 minutes.
  Mr. LEAHY addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Vermont is recognized.

                          ____________________