|
February 8, 2006
The Honorable Bill
Frist
United States Senate Majority Leader
509 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator Frist,
We, the undersigned,
are opposed to S.852, the Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act
of 2005, as reported by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Each of us is
affected by asbestos liability, or represents affected persons or
organizations. We have followed the progress of this legislation very
closely. We were all disappointed with the bill that emerged from the
Judiciary Committee. Some of us hoped that our concerns would be
addressed before the bill was brought to the Senate floor. Others
have simply opposed the trust fund approach to the issue.
Unfortunately, we have concluded that the legislation remains deeply
flawed and should not be considered in its present form.
While our concerns
about this legislation vary, on one point we all agree. This
legislation was drafted by and for a narrow band of very large
defendant companies that are seeking to shift their asbestos liability
onto others. The most powerful evidence for this fact is the recent
agreement announced by USG, which would allow it to avoid more than $3
billion in payments for asbestos claims if this bill passes. We
strongly believe that the windfall this bill confers on USG, and
companies like it, will be paid for by smaller companies and the
innocent victims who are sick and dying.
Therefore, we urge
that S.852 in its current form be rejected by the Senate.
Organizations/Businesses
|
A.W.
Chesterton Company
Allstate Corporation
American International Group, Inc. (AIG)
Associated General Contractors of America
BorgWarner Inc.
Chubb Corporation
Coalition for Asbestos Reform
EMC Insurance Companies
Envirosafe Services of Ohio, Inc.
Erie Insurance Group
Fairlane Management Corp.
Hopeman Brothers, Inc.
Huntsman Corporation
Illinois AFL-CIO
IU North America, Inc.
Kaiser Ventures, LLC |
Federal
Mogul Corp.
Foster Wheeler Inc.
The Hartford Financial Services Group
Laborers' International Union of North America
Liberty Mutual Group
National Association of Waterfront Employers
National Service Industries, Inc.
Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company
Norfolk Southern Corp.
NOSROC Corp.
Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Federal Mogul Corp.
Oglebay Norton Company
Safeco Corp.
Shipbuilders Council of America
Zurich Financial Services |
Advocacy Groups
|
Asbestos
Victims Organization
Center for Justice & Democracy
Committee to Protect Mesothelioma Victims (CPMV)
Doctor-Patient Alliance for Responsible Asbestos Policy
FreedomWorks
Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO)
Louisiana Environmental Action Network |
National
Taxpayer's Union (NTU)
Public Citizen
US PIRG
West Central Illinois Building and Construction Trades Council
White Lung Asbestos Information Center
White Lung Association |
Doctors/Experts
|
Dr.
Robert Cameron, Chief of Thoracic Surgery, UCLA Medical School
Malcolm N. Goodwin, Jr., M. D.s
Dr. Samuel Hammar
Dr. Robert Kroeger
Dr. Jill Ohar
Harvey I. Pass M.D.,
Professor of Surgery and Chief,
Division of Thoracic Surgery and Thoracic Oncology
at NYU School of Medicine. Chairman, MARF
Science Advisory Board |
Victor L.
Roggli, M.D.
Cynthia Platz Thompson, Ph.D.
Eric Vallières MD FRCSC Surgical Director Lung Cancer Program
Swedish Cancer Institute
Dr. Nicholas Vogelzang, Director Nevada Cancer Institute
Bret C. Williams, M.D. MPH |
Patients/Victims/Families
|
Colonel
James Zumwalt
Angie L. Deets
Anita Colbus
Ann MacCreery
Annie LeCuc
Antoinette Vortriede
Brenda Kroeger
Brian Elmblad Jr.
Carmel C. Harber
Cecile J. Walters
Charlaine R. Gustafson
Cheryl Jean Moorhead Ayers
Christine Musser
Cindy Elenburg
Colleen Duncan
Danielle Rosinski
Darlene Behr
William Behr Jr.
David Elmblad Jr.
David Kroeger
David L. Johnson
Debbie Jellick
Debra Farnsworth
Dee Steckler
Dennis Colbus
Diane Robinson
Matthew Robinson
Dianne J. Snyder
Richard R. Snyder
Donna Parrish
Donna Saller
Doris Doherty
Edward Holzer
Norma Holzer
Elaine Holmes
Elaine K. Masten
Elane Cuell
Eleanor Shook
Chuck Shook
Elizabeth Collins
Elizabeth D. Gilbert
Elizabeth Platz
Eric Cohen
Eric Vortriede
Frances Nelson
Frank C. Graves
Frank Herrara |
Gary
Jellick
Glen R. Gorman
Glenna R. Humfrey
Gordon Harber
Gregory Duncan
Gregory Lockhart
Hazel S. Lockhart
Heather Duncan
Heather Herrara
James Ingersol
James McNamara
James R. Seiler, Jr.
Jason Cowdrey
Jason LeCuc
Jason LeMarsh
Jeff Geoppinger
Jennifer L. Cohen
Jennifer M. Orchard
Jim Duffy
Jo Conner
Joan Munns
Joe Foster
John McNamara
John Stone
Jon K. Fish
Jonathan Kroeger
Josh Lockhart
Joye Naley
Karen Hammer
Mike Hammer
Karl Bell
Kathi Curtis
Kathleen LeCuc
Keiko Duffy
Keith Nelson
Kelly Cowdrey
Kenneth P. Gustafson
Kim Kroeger-Geoppinger
Lee Giannini
Leo Kennedy
Linda French
Linda Stone
Lisa & James Dixon
Madeline Bynder
Manuel Jasso
Marcia Abbott
Mark Bryant
Mary McNamara
Melody Dean |
Michael
Duffy
Michael Kroeger
Michael MacCreery
Michael Steckler
Mike Summers
Mirella Panozzo
Moya Brents-Morris
Nancy L. Graves
Nicollette McNamara
Pat Crow
Patricia A. Gustafson
Patrick Duffy
Paul LeCuc
Phillip A. Humfrey
Phyllis O. Hewitt
Rebecca Lockhart
Regina Maher
Rhio O’Connor
Richard C. Wheeler
Richard Zembron
Rick D. Schladweiler
Robert H. Peterson
Robert J. McCormack
Robert Kroeger, II
Robert Maher
Robert Treggett
Roy Harvey
Ruby Simonson McNeill
Saeed Behshid
Sandra Ingersol
Shannon Foster
Sharon L. Johnson
Simon Parrish
SinDee Knutson
Stephanie Barr
TC McNamara
Steven Reed
Teresa M. Miller
Terri Anderson
Thelma Bell
Toni Jasso
Tony Elenburg
Trudi Broadhead
Vernon Braaten
Wallace Duncan
Warren Stone
Wendy Koppel
William Saller |
|
PATIENT PROFILES
