[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 130 (Thursday, September 25, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H7837]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    SAVE AMERICA, STOP LAWSUIT ABUSE

  (Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland. Madam Speaker, I commend the Members of the 
Western Maryland Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse [WMCALA] for joining 
thousands of Marylanders in declaring this week of September 21 through 
September 28 Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week.
  This group points out that we all pay for outrageous punitive damages 
and settlements from excessive and frivolous lawsuits. They note that 
this results in higher prices on goods and services, higher prices for 
medical care and equipment, loss of safety improvements or product 
innovations for fear of lawsuits, jobs lost, and businesses forced to 
close to pay judgments.
  Congress passed comprehensive legal reform and product liability 
reform. President Clinton vetoed both. We are all paying a heavy price 
for the $2.5 million in contributions from trial lawyers to President 
Clinton's 1996 campaign. We commend Western Maryland Citizens Against 
Lawsuit Abuse.

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