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Policy
Asbestos Bill Moves out from Committee
by BETTE HILEMAN
June 6, 2005
| A version of this story appeared in
Volume 83, Issue 23
CONGRESS
The Senate Judiciary Committee approved an asbestos trust fund bill (S. 852) on May 26. The bill would take asbestos injury claims out of litigation and pay them from a $140 billion trust fund.
All Republicans on the committee and three Democrats supported the legislation, approving it on a 13-to-5 vote.
Although 50 amendments were added to the bill to satisfy concerns of Judiciary Committee members, passage by the full Senate will not be easy. Three Republicans on the panel who approved the bill say that more changes will have to be made before they vote for it on the Senate floor.
Senators who are uncertain about the bill are worried about costs. They say it is not known how many claimants would qualify for compensation, which defendant companies and insurers would contribute to the fund, and how much each would contribute.
Backers of the bill include the National Association of Manufacturers, the Asbestos Workers Union, and the auto workers union.
But the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA), the Environmental Working Group, and several victims' groups oppose the legislation. Victims' groups say the medical criteria in the bill would unnecessarily exclude many asbestos victims. "This bill is about as far from perfect as you can get. It's underfunded, unfair, unworkable, and likely unconstitutional," says ATLA President Todd A. Smith.
The power is now in your (nitrile gloved) hands
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