WASHINGTON-The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is rejecting the notion that because 2004 is a presidential election year, its legislative priorities-led by class-action reform-cannot be passed.
“Backed by the Chamber’s Institute for Legal Reform, landmark class-action reform legislation passed the House and made it to the Senate floor with 59 senators voting to end a filibuster. This ‘near miss’ triggered renewed negotiations with several additional senators, and a resulting compromise has set the stage for a successful vote in early 2004,” reads “The State of American Business 2004” released by the Chamber.
The class-action reform litigation is becoming more important as wireless carriers increasingly face lawsuits on issues ranging from consumer practices to billing to health.
It is hoped that the legislation will put a cap on awards, but this has been strongly resisted by trial lawyers.
While 59 votes would constitute a majority, a hard-line group of Senate opponents has threatened to filibuster the bill should it be brought up on the Senate floor. Senate rules dictate that 60 senators must vote to end a filibuster, so unless the chamber and its allies can find another vote, the bill will not be considered.
“I have learned over a long time in this town, don’t count the money until the check is in the bank so we will work very hard on (class-action litigation),” said U.S. Chamber President Thomas Donohue at a Tuesday 2004 Outlook press luncheon.
The chamber has been working for a number of years on class-action reform, and Donohue acknowledged it is an old issue.
“What is old in legal reform is the class-action litigation reform bill,” said Donohue. “The subjects never change; it is just a matter of moving them forward.”
Other issues on the chamber’s plate for 2004 include a national broadband policy, free trade and a change in the import/export tax structure.
