[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 18 (Thursday, February 17, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H722]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 SUPPORT THE CLASS ACTION FAIRNESS ACT

  (Mr. BARRETT of South Carolina asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BARRETT of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, in the past few years, 
we have witnessed an explosion of interstate class-action lawsuits 
being filed in our State courts, particularly in certain ``magnet'' 
jurisdictions. These ``magnet'' courts routinely approve settlements in 
which lawyers receive large fee awards and the class members receive 
virtually nothing. The result is a growing number of class-action 
lawsuits that are losing propositions for everyone involved, except the 
lawyers that bring them.
  Madam Speaker, later this morning, we will be debating the Class 
Action Fairness Act. This legislation closes a loophole in the system 
by creating Federal jurisdictions over large, multi-State class-action 
cases. It puts an end to various tricks currently used by some lawyers 
to stay out of Federal court. And, in addition, this legislation 
creates several provisions specifically designed to ensure that class 
members, not their attorneys, are the primary beneficiaries of the 
class-action process.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this common sense, 
bipartisan plan.

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