[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 17]
[House]
[Page 23079]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         DISTORT THE TRUTH WEEK

  (Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, it is Republican 
``tort reform week'' in the House of Representatives. However, I think 
a more appropriate name would be ``distort the truth week.''
  Two bills on this week's House calendar, the Personal Responsibility 
in Food Consumption Act and the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms 
Act unjustly slams the courthouse doors in the face of injured 
plaintiffs.
  And why are we voting to shut the doors of courthouses to legitimate 
plaintiffs? So the Republican Party can give a gift to special 
interests and the fast food industry and the NRA. It is time to put a 
stop to this charade. If the goal is to prevent frivolous lawsuits, 
then punish the lawyers who file them. But if the goal is to give 
unscrupulous food companies and gun dealers free reign to make their 
products more dangerous, then by all means I urge my colleagues to 
support both bills.
  However, my goal is to protect the American people, to ensure safe 
business practices in food production and in the gun industries and to 
preserve the integrity of our judicial system. That is why I am voting 
``no'' on both the Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act and 
the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. I urge my colleagues to 
do the same.

                          ____________________