[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 131 (Friday, October 1, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2005]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             TRIBUTE TO OHIO CITIZENS AGAINST LAWSUIT ABUSE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN A. BOEHNER

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 30, 1999

  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, the week of September 19-25, 1999 was 
recently observed in my home State of Ohio as Ohio Lawsuit Awareness 
Week (LAAW). As the House prepares to vote on the critical issue of 
managed care reform, there is perhaps no more appropriate time to focus 
attention on the importance of preventing lawsuit abuse and reversing 
our Nation's transformation into an overly litigious society.
  Ohio Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (OCALA) has been a leader in this 
regard in recent years. We owe a debt of gratitude to the more than 
5,000 consumers, physicians, taxpayers, small business operators and 
other professionals associated with OCALA who have dedicated their time 
and resources to increasing public awareness of lawsuit abuse and the 
need to improve America's civil justice system. We owe particular 
thanks to Dr. David Rummel, DDS; Peter Beck; Ken Blair, Jr.; Gerald 
Miller; and Claire Wolfe, MD, all of whom are members of OCALA's Board 
of Directors.
  In recent years Congress has made great strides in the effort to 
reform our Nation's justice system and ensure that it is structured to 
protect the rights of citizens, rather than simply the prosperity of 
the trial bar. Whether the issue has been securities litigation, 
medical malpractice, or the ``Y2K'' problem, we have been steadfast in 
our support for bipartisan reforms that seek to restore fairness to the 
legal system and limit frivolous litigation. Next week, as the House 
faces the highly politicized challenge of protecting patients and 
expanding access in our Nation's healthcare delivery system, we must 
strive to be consistent in that posture.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to offer my congratulations to all of the 
individuals associated with OCALA, and to express my strong support for 
the cause for which OCALA exists. Through the courage and dedication of 
organizations like OCALA across the United States and the courageous 
support of legislators who support its vision, we will continue to move 
toward an American civil justice system that will truly meet the need 
of its citizens in the 21st century.

                          ____________________