[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 172 (Thursday, November 2, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S16634]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      LAWSUIT ABUSE AWARENESS WEEK

 Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, I proudly acknowledge a group 
of citizens in West Virginia who are hard at work to address an issue 
affecting every citizen of our State: Lawsuit abuse.
  In many areas of West Virginia, local citizens are getting involved 
with a group they call Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse, with the goal of 
making the public more aware of the costs and problems stemming from 
excessive numbers and kinds of lawsuits.
  The CALA effort focuses on education. These citizens are speaking out 
about an issue that has statewide and national consequences. The costs 
of lawsuit abuse include higher costs for consumer products, higher 
medical expenses, higher taxes, and lost business expansion and product 
development.
  The mission of Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse is to curb lawsuit 
abuse. Here is an example of West Virginians devoting energy and effort 
towards solving problems that cost our State jobs, profits, and 
opportunity.
  My own work in this has focused on the problems of our product 
liability system, and I got involved when I saw the terrible 
consequences of the country's confusing, patchwork, slow, and often 
unfair system of product liability rules that badly need reform. The 
help of individuals, including members of the legal profession, 
involved in Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse in West Virginia, has been 
crucial to the legislative success we are finally with the product 
liability reform bill that I introduced once again early in this 
Congress. In May, working closely with Senator Gorton of Washington 
State, we succeeded in winning Senate approval of our bill and we are 
now hoping to engage in a conference with the House of Representatives 
to develop a final bill for the President's signature.
  Legal reform of any kind is not a simple issue. The legal system must 
function to provide justice to every American. But that does not mean 
that the status quo is necessarily perfect. When lawsuits and the 
courts can be used in excess or result in imposing costs on other 
parties, from individuals to non-profit agencies to businesses, without 
reason, the system should be reviewed and reformed if possible.
  Through CALA in West Virginia, nonprofit groups have raised local 
funds to run educational media announcements and are speaking to local 
organizations and citizens groups across the State to raise public 
awareness on the lawsuit abuse issue.
  Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse groups have declared October 30 
through November 3, 1995, as ``Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week'' in West 
Virginia.
  I want to commend these citizens for their dedication and commitment 
and to acknowledge this week as a time of public awareness on the 
serious issues associated with lawsuit abuse.

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