[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 108 (Thursday, September 14, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1488]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          INTRODUCING THE SMALL BUSINESS LIABILITY RELIEF ACT

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                         HON. MICHAEL G. OXLEY

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 14, 2000

  Mr. OXLEY. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing, along with a 
bipartisan group of original cosponsors, the Small Business Liability 
Relief Act to provide long overdue liability protection to individuals, 
families and small business owners who are innocent parties that have 
been wrongly and unfairly trapped in the litigation nightmare of the 
Superfund program for two decades. Superfund badly needs to be reformed 
to provide liability relief for innocent parties.
  Today, I am saying enough is enough. It is time to provide relief to 
Barbara Williams, the former owner of Sunny Ray Resturant in 
Gettsyburg, Pennsylvania and to Greg Shierling, the owner of two 
McDonald's Restaurants in Quincy, Illinois, as well as thousands of 
others just like them whose only ``crime'' as small business owners was 
sending ordinary garbage to the local dump.
  This bill only provides relief to innocent small businesses who never 
should have been brought into Superfund in the first place. First, it 
provides liability protection to small businesses who disposed of very 
small amounts of (110 gallons or 200 pounds) of waste. Second, it 
provides relief for small businesses who dispose of ordinary garbage. 
Third, it provides shelter from costly litigation for small businesses 
who dispose of de minimis amounts of waste and who otherwise face 
serious financial hardship.
  It is my strong belief that we can pass this bill with overwhelming 
bipartisan support so that countless others can be spared the 
litigation nightmare that has already hit so many of America's small 
businesses.

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