Asbestos Bill Tops Legislative Agenda for 2006

This article reports that the Asbestos Trust Fund Bill will be the top legislative priority for the Senate when it returns in January of 2006.

According to the article:

"The Senate will finally resolve the asbestos litigation crisis,'' Frist of Tennessee said in a Senate floor speech. "The day has come for us to fix it.''

Here is another article on the planned January floor vote.

This article quotes the bill's original author Sen. Arlen Specter as stating:

"It's going to be a battle but I think we have a realistic chance of winning," said Judiciary Committee chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., who has been pushing legislation this year.

Specter, in a speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said more than 80 companies have declared bankruptcy because of asbestos-related lawsuits. "Of all of the items which could provide an economic stimulus to the U.S. economy, I think asbestos reform would be the most important," he said.