April 21, 2005
Dear Senator Feinstein:
I practice medicine in rural, underserved North Carolina. I have
mesothelioma from exposure to asbestos as a teenager.
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Dr. Bret
Williams and his family |
Although I am very short of breath and in chronic pain following
surgery, I am able to work part time, enough to keep my family above
water.
My exposure was brief, and I understand that criteria contained in the
current version of the asbestos bill likely would exclude me from
compensation.
I will almost certainly not be around to spend any money from the
proposed compensation fund in any case, as it will take at least 2 years
for existing claims to be processed.
My real concern is for the many others yet to become ill: those who
were exposed while serving their country, the firefighters and other
relief personnel at ground zero in New York, teachers, blue collar
workers, and also others like me: folks who worked with common, everyday
products they had no idea were toxic.
Senator Feinstein, the companies who made those products did know. And
they have long been lobbying Congress to shield them from the consequences
of their unethical behavior.
Those who consciously exposed people to one of the most toxic materials
known should face criminal charges. They poisoned many thousands of
people. And they have convinced many of our elected officials that it’s
just about money.
Money is important, to the large majority of victims more than to me.
But there are three more important things to pursue: 1) a complete ban on
the importation and use of asbestos; 2) adequate funds for research into
early diagnosis, treatment, and cure of asbestos-related disease; and 3)
prosecution of those responsible for ongoing exposure of innocent
Americans.
The bill you are now considering does none of these things. It is a
shameful industry bailout that fails to address the problem or the
solution.
Please help defeat this bill. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Bret C. Williams, MD MPH
{ to read Dr. Williams'
medical profile, please click here }
- Click here for more letters
from asbestos cancer survivors taking action against inhumane asbestos
trust/bail out bill (SB 852)
PATIENT PROFILES
