Press Release
 

Asbestos Victims and Families Would Still Be Left Out in the Cold

Revised Trust Fund Bill Still Represents Corporate Bailout at Victims' Expense

WASHINGTON D.C. — A revised bill that would replace the asbestos-litigation system with a multi-billion dollar government program still "leaves victims out in the cold," and amounts to "giving large corporations a traffic ticket while taking away the citizen's right to sue," according to Susan Vento, chair of the national Committee to Protect Mesothelioma Victims (CPMV).

"Clearly this $140 billion trust fund bill was rewritten to attract a few votes and not to improve the legislation; in fact, what was already bad for asbestos victims has now become considerably worse," said Vento. "Once again the proponents have tried to resolve difficult issues by making things harder for the victim rather than the perpetrator."

"During the floor debate in February of this year, and in response to concerns about the bill's funding, U.S. Senator Arlen Specter stated that: 'We have within the structure of the bill a provision that the administrator can make a reevaluation going through certain preconditions SO THAT IF IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO EXCEED THE $140 BILLION, WE CAN MAKE MODIFICATIONS IN THE MEDICAL STANDARDS AND CRITERIA TO STAY WITHIN THE $140 BILLION.' Unfortunately, he has decided to fulfill this promise already by incorporating even harsher qualifying standards for victims, while strengthening the ability of the Administrator to impose even more restrictive standards post passage."

Vento's comments came just days after S. 3274, the Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act of 2006, was introduced by U.S. Senators Arlen Specter and Patrick Leahy, and a week before yet another Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the bill (now scheduled for next Wednesday, June 7 in Room 226 of the Senate Dirksen Office Building). The CPMV chair explained that the bill still has major funding issues and added that the bill's sponsors are trying to resolve these funding problems "on the backs of and at the suffering of asbestos victims.

"If the government cannot find a valid means of rightfully compensating all victims, after having eliminated their legal rights, then it should not create it," Vento added. "Otherwise, it is nothing more than a scheme to benefit the companies that caused the problem and a travesty for asbestos victims-many who were employees unknowingly harmed while working for the paycheck that kept the roof over their families' heads."

Susan Vento was the wife of former Minnesota Congressman Bruce Vento, who died of mesothelioma in 2000, years after he was exposed to asbestos during a three-month summer job while he was a college student. "Anybody who has lost a loved one to an asbestos cancer knows it's not a perfect world, but letting the corporations bounce back from bankruptcy with a slap on the wrist with this trust fund takes imperfection to new levels. Having victims stand in a trust fund line for a regulated amount of 'compensation' simply gives the large corporations a traffic ticket and takes away the citizen's right to sue for wrong doing and malfeasance. This trust fund is 'no accountability heaven' for the corporations. Even Enron would be jealous."

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The Committee to Protect Mesothelioma Victims (CPMV) is an organization founded by asbestos victims and their families and friends. CPMV works to raise awareness on national asbestos issues and ensure that victims' rights are properly represented and protected on both a local and national level. For more information, www.asbestostruth.org.