[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 1]
[House]
[Page 201]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


                FAIRNESS IN CLASS ACTION LITIGATION ACT

  (Ms. SCHAKOWSKY asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, last year, Volkswagen was caught 
defrauding its customers selling vehicles that emitted 40 times more 
pollution than is allowed by law in its so-called clean diesel models.
  VW customers paid extra for vehicles they believed were both cleaner 
and better performing than other cars on the market, but that is not 
what they got. They have a right to join class action lawsuits to 
recoup their losses and hold VW accountable.
  But the Fairness in Class Action Litigation Act, which we will 
consider today, would weaken the ability of those customers to pursue 
class action claims. In the case of VW, the bill would limit classes to 
people with the same vehicle model, the same emissions-cheating device, 
and the same emissions system, even though all clean diesel customers 
were defrauded in the same way. It would shrink the class sizes and 
make it easier for VW to defeat or settle claims.
  Why would we make it easier for VW to avoid responsibility by making 
it harder for Americans to pursue justice?
  It is shameful that congressional Republicans are trying to do 
Volkswagen's bidding by weakening the rights their constituents 
currently have.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in opposing this bill.

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