[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 38 (Wednesday, March 1, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E480]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                THE CORPORATE WRONGDOERS PROTECTION ACT

                                 ______


                          HON. CARDISS COLLINS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 1, 1995
  Mrs. COLLINS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, many people may have heard of 
or read the best-selling book ``The Hot Zone'' recently. This thriller 
details the true story of rare and lethal viruses that have the 
potential to destroy a significant percentage of the human population 
in a very short time span.
  Well, there is a related type of virus spreading these days on 
Capitol Hill. It also has the potential to claim countless victims 
throughout our Nation, perpetrating injuries as serious as any disease 
or epidemic.
  But this virus is one of gross misinformation. What is spreading so 
rapidly is the fallacy that the GOP's ``Contract With Corporate 
America'' product liability legislation, H.R. 917 and H.R. 956, would 
not hurt consumers.
  The fact is, these bills would decrease product safety for all 
consumers, but, in particular, it would devastate and devalue American 
women.
  Particular provisions within the legislation touted by the majority 
would shield manufacturers of products like DES, silicone breast 
implants, and IUD's from punitive damages as long as they receive FDA 
approval--even when their actions were outrageous and hundreds of women 
were injured as a result.
  These bills would also restrict the recovery of noneconomic damages, 
so that a highly paid male corporate executive with a 3-month-long 
injury would be more fully compensated than a woman whose principal 
injury is the permanent loss of reproductive capacity, or an injured 
woman who has chosen to stay at home and raise her children.
  H.R. 917 and H.R. 956 would also do nothing to restrict the use of 
secrecy agreements or protective orders that prevent the public from 
learning about unsafe products, as was the case with the secrecy 
agreements that kept Dow Corning's information about the dangers of its 
silicone breast implants hidden from the public eye for so many years. 
How many women must be severely injured from the same product before we 
become outraged and take action?
  The bottom line is clear: if Congress passes this legislation, women 
would suffer. Women would face harsher odds when taking the chance of 
trying a drug or medical device. Women would find that the concepts of 
justice and full compensation have been significantly carved. Women 
would find that their safety is less important to manufacturers than 
corporate profits. Women would find that they are less equal in the 
eyes of the law.
  These are disasters that must not be allowed to occur. If any product 
liability measure is to advance through Congress, we must be sure that 
it is first altered so as to protect the safety of America's mothers, 
sisters, and daughters.


                          ____________________