WASHINGTON,
D.C. – U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) issued the following statement
in reaction to the passage of H.R. 1875, the Interstate Class Action Jurisdiction
Act of 1999.
"I
am disappointed that the House of Representatives approved H.R. 1875, the
Interstate Class Action Jurisdiction Act of 1999. This legislation
is unnecessary.
"There
is no evidence that class action suits are clogging state courts and certainly,
there is no evidence that federal courts would be able to provide speedier
justice for consumers and small businesses. In fact, with the growing
number of vacancies on the federal bench, H.R. 1875 would virtually ensure
that class action suits would take longer to resolve, if they are heard
at all. This is why H.R. 1875 is opposed by the Federal Judicial Conference,
the Conference of State Judges, and numerous state attorneys general.
"The
problem is not that class action suits are clogging the courts. The
problem is that children, families, communities and small businesses are
being injured as a result of dangerous, even reckless behavior. They
need access to our civil justice system. Many businesses take care
to sell safe products. Unfortunately, other do not. Class action
suits allow similarly injured consumers and small businesses to join together
to seek compensation for their injuries and stop dangerous practices so
that others will not be injured.
"This
bill is opposed by a broad range of consumer, senior, disability, environmental,
health care and other groups, including the National Council of Senior
Citizens, Consumer Federation of America, the American Heart Association,
and the National Organization for Women Legal Defense Fund.
"This
bill takes away the legal rights of consumers and small businesses and
I will work to ensure that it does not become the law of the land."
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