Editorial

Unfinished
Business

  There is no doubt Congress has a full plate as they try to get the people’s business done before they head home for good before Thanksgiving. There are issues of particular concern to us in Louisiana.   Federal funding of relief for our area and region in the aftermath of Hurricanes Rita and Katrina are priority one for every family, business and community in our great state.
  But there are a few key non hurricane items our federal lawmakers best tend to if we are going to rely on businesses and jobs to lead the relief effort. We have opined about one of those issues in the past and wanted to take this opportunity to drop a friendly reminder before they put up the national Christmas tree and head home for the holidays.
  The issue of asbestos litigation reform has been before Congress for nearly a decade. And while everyone agrees that asbestos is a very harmful and dangerous substance that has caused great damage to the health of those truly exposed, policy makers have been able to agree on little else when it comes to this issue. However, this Congress has produced the greatest opportunity for passage of true asbestos reform.
  Senators Leahy and Specter, the leading Democrat and Republican on the Judiciary Committee have passed a bill on asbestos litigation reform for the consideration of the U.S. Senate. It is not a perfect solution. But it is a great start because it treats true victims of asbestos exposure fairly while preventing further abuse of our court system by enterprising trial lawyers using unimpaired persons to line their pockets.
  Over 700,000 asbestos suits have been filed in the United States in the last 30 years. This has cost business over 70 BILLION dollars and guess what: nearly one-third of that 70 billion has gone to plaintiff’s lawyers. It is the single most expensive and exploited use of our legal system in the history of our country. This explosion of litigation is hurting pension funds, future and current employment, investment in industry and ultimately the economy of our country.
  Keep in mind that this litigation mess has deeply affected Louisiana. Nearly every segment of Louisiana’s economy has been touched by abuses of the asbestos litigation system. Oil and gas companies, chemical manufacturers, auto repair shops and public buildings are just a few of many of our state’s enterprises that have been sued by sometimes unimpaired people and their innovative lawyers.
  Please contact Senator Landrieu and Senator Vitter and ask them to follow the bi-partisan lead of Senators Leahy and Specter by working towards an asbestos litigation solution. There is much unfinished business in Washington and hurricane relief is priority one. But let’s finish the job on this asbestos issue this year. Contact our senators, it’s important.

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