Republican House Chooses Special Interests Over American Families

Republican House Chooses Special Interests Over American Families
Statement of Todd A. Smith President, Association of Trial Lawyers of America

"Today President Bush, corporate lobbyists, and special interests are calling the class action bill (S. 5) passed by the House a 'victory'—but it is certainly a defeat for the working families of America.

"This brazen and shameless attack on Americans' legal rights was well-funded by the insurance, drug and other industries. Indeed, the U.S. Chamber of Congress openly acknowledged this week that it spent more than $53 million in 2004 alone on efforts to lobby this bill and others that undermine the legal rights of American families.

"The insurance, tobacco, drug, chemical and other industries that financed the propaganda campaign to force this bill through have also ignored vocal opposition from the National Conference of State Legislatures, 14 state attorneys general, the Conference of Chief Justices, the Federal Judicial Conference and Chief Justice Rehnquist of the United States Supreme Court.