[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 41 (Monday, March 6, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H2660]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       REFORM OF THE LEGAL SYSTEM

  (Mr. DeFAZIO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, the Republican image meisters and spin 
artists worked overtime for this week's production in Congress. They 
tapped a concern of average Americans over the growing litigiousness of 
our society, but with a breathtaking bait and switch. They have 
produced a bill beyond the dreams of the most corrupt financial 
swindler or the most irresponsible corporation. They call it the Common 
Sense Legal Reform Act.
  In reality, it is the corporate dollar liability and litigation 
shield act.
  No. 1, the loser pays. What does that mean? It means if you are an 
average citizen and you have been aggrieved by an exploding Pinto, if 
you wanted to sue Ford, you have to be ready to pay for all of Ford 
Motor Co.'s legal costs. Better think twice before you go to court to 
sue about an injury with products.
  A blank check for bunko artists and new defenses for Wall Street. 
They forgot to inform you when you invest your pension in a bad deal. 
The new defense is, I forgot. It is actually written in the bill. It is 
almost a joke. I forgot. Thousand-dollar-an-hour lawyers and Wall 
Street forgot.
  This is not for main street. It is for Wall Street.

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