Washington, D.C. – The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) today applauded Sens. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) for reintroducing the Fairness in Injury Resolution (FAIR) Act on May 26.  The legislation establishes a trust fund to reimburse victims of asbestos exposure while limiting the actions of trial lawyers.

“The flood of fraudulent lawsuits concerning asbestos exposure prevents true victims from getting the compensation they deserve,” CCAGW President Tom Schatz said.

More than 730,000 individuals have brought forward legal claims related to asbestos, with an estimated 300,000 claims currently pending.  Studies have found that up to 90 percent of these claims were by people who have not suffered any physical impairment.  The trust fund established by the FAIR Act would be funded by corporations and their insurers; no taxpayer or government funds would be involved.

“Fraudulent suits clog the courts and waste millions of tax dollars,” Schatz continued. “The endless litigation also leads to job losses in industry.”    

CCAGW endorsed the FAIR Act and encouraged the Senate to pass it as quickly as possible.  

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste is the lobbying arm of Citizens Against Government Waste, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.