Oppose Senate Bill 1125 Anacortes, WA

Letters to the Editor - Skagit Valley Herald, Mt. Vernon 98221

I wish to explain how the "Hatch Asbestos Company Bailout" Bill (S1125) will effect people who have been stricken with asbestos diseases. And those who have yet to be diagnosed.

No doubt some of you may have observed these people. Many of you have known someone who's life has been effected.

Bill S1125 will take away their rights to obtain help, for the harm done by asbestos. Under the "Hatch Asbestos Bailout" Bill S1125, 76% of those injured by asbestos would receive NOTHING. All asbestos victims would wait years longer for compensation and ALL pending settlements, verdicts on appeal and bankruptcy awards would be WIPED OUT. This sounds unbelievable, but it's true. The bill was written by the industry and its insurers. It was written FOR the industry and its insurers. Asbestos victims were never consulted. This bill strips away their rights as an injured person in our system of justice and instead sets up a new federal trust fund bureaucracy. It's not fair!

This is what the bill would do

  1. All pending cases, settlements, verdicts on appeal and bankruptcy awards would be wiped out.
  2. Compensation for Mesothelioma patients and their families will be limited to a fraction of what would be received in courts.
  3. 5 years, 10 years, yes! It could take years, years before compensation would be paid. Massive backlog of cases would guarantee this delay.
  4. The trust fund scheme is a financial windfall for companies like Halliburton who would walk away from a $4.2 billion pending
  5. settlements and only pay $25 million a year instead. A profit of $3.6 billion dollars.
  6. Honeywell would walk away from a $2 billion pending settlements and pay only $25 million a year instead. A windfall of $1.4 billion dollars.

This sounds like a huge amount of money and it is. However most of these victims had no knowledge of the dangers they were exposed to daily for years. They have literally given their lives and their families' lives for these companies to have the same loyalty toward their faithful employees?

My husband worked in the oil industry for 33 plus years. In all that time he was never warned of the hazard to his health. Twenty-two years after his retirement he was diagnosed with mesothelioma (cancer of the lining of the lungs, caused by asbestos). In less than 4 months he was dead.

Nothing will bring my husband back. Maybe by writing to your senators asking them to say NO the Hatch Bill S1125, a more fair bill will be passed, one that will compensate for the disease victims developed, wile being exposed to asbestos.

Please write or call your senators and representatives. Tell them to Vote No on Hatch Bill S1125.

Sen. Patty Murray
111 Russell Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
ph 202-224-2621
Seattle 206-553-5545
web pg www.senate.gove/murray
E-mail senator_murray@murray.senate.gov

Sen. Maria Cantwell
717 Hart Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
ph. 202-224-3441
Seattle 206-220-6400
web pg www.senate.gov/cantwell
E-mail maria_cantwell@cantwell.senate.gov

Rep. Rick Larsen
1529 Longworth Bldg.
Washington, DC 20515
ph 202-225-2605
Everett 425-252-1388
Bellingham 360-733-4500
web pg www.house.gov/larsen
E-mail rich.larsen@mail.house.gov

This bill will be in the senate again soon - possibly right after Labor Day. Make your voice heard, sen your message to congress.

Please VOTE NOT on Bill S1125.

Mrs. Charles R. Worcester
Anacortes, WA

  • Click here for more letters from asbestos cancer survivors taking action against inhumane asbestos trust/bail out bill (SB 1125)

*** POSTED ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2003 ***