[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 124 (Wednesday, September 22, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1926]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  IN RECOGNITION OF 1999 LAWSUIT ABUSE AWARENESS WEEK IN THE STATE OF 
                                  OHIO

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. PAUL E. GILLMOR

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 22, 1999

  Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise to call attention to an important 
designation this week in the state of Ohio. The week of Sunday, 
September 19 through Saturday, September 25, 1999, has been officially 
designated by Ohio Governor Bob Taft as lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week.
  The 1999 Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week campaign attempts to better 
educate citizens throughout the state of Ohio about the ongoing 
concerns of the legal problems in our judicial system. During this 
campaign, the Ohio Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (OCALA) has 
undertaken a public awareness campaign to voice the concerns about 
lawsuit abuse and draw attention to the impact it has on the state of 
Ohio. Citizens from across the state have assisted with the campaign to 
help OCALA spread its message.
  Mr. Speaker, the overwhelming rise in lawsuit abuse is not a concern 
specific to the state of Ohio. Certainly, these problems carry both 
state and national implications, which affect all Americans. In recent 
years, our society has become more prone to litigation. In fact, some 
statistics show the number of lawsuits filed each year approaching 
300,000. The sheer number of these lawsuits requires millions of 
dollars in expenses and thousands of hours from employees. These 
figures demonstrate that lawsuit abuse is a heavy burden that 
interferes with our continued economic growth.
  As lawsuits continue to climb in number and scope, the impact on our 
standard of living is evident. Frivolous lawsuits result in higher 
operating costs for businesses, the withdrawal of products from the 
marketplace, and the potential decline in growth and overall expansion. 
Simple economics shows us that these costs are inevitably passed along 
to consumers and workers in the form of higher prices, lost 
opportunities, and fewer jobs.
  Mr. Speaker, lawsuit abuse is a serious issue facing the United 
States. As such, it is important for groups like OCALA to be recognized 
for their efforts in curtailing this abuse. Dedication to change, like 
that shown by OCALA and other groups, will further the cause to end 
lawsuit abuse and bring about overall legal reform. I would urge my 
colleagues to stand and join me in recognizing the week of Sunday, 
September 19 through Saturday, September 25, 1999, as ``Ohio Lawsuit 
Abuse Awareness Week.''

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