
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, June 30, 1994                   TAG: 9407010008
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B-7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

PRODUCT LIABILITY LAWS WON'T CHANGE THIS YEAR

Pressure from consumer groups and trial lawyers won out over corporate lobbying Wednesday in a Senate vote that killed any changes in product liability laws for the rest of the year.

Business interests failed on two consecutive days to get the 60 votes necessary to end a longtime filibuster of legislation that would revamp the way product injury cases are handled.

``It's a rare victory for consumers and rare defeat for business lobbies in the Senate,'' said consumer advocate Ralph Nader who worked with Joan Claybrook of Public Citizen to organize consumer groups against the bill.

But Sens. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., and Slade Gorton, R-Wash., who sponsored the legislation, said they would try again next year.

Backers of the bill said it would reduce the high cost of liability insurance manufacturers pay, remove a major impediment to research into new products and help consumers by speeding up lawsuits.

Opponents said it would undercut an essential recourse for consumers who are grotesquely and permanently damaged by defective products.

``This would have closed the courthouse door to many people,'' said Claybrook.

``I'm disappointed. On the other hand, I'm not defeated. We simply have to persevere on this matter,'' said Rockefeller, who has been trying to change the law for eight years.

After two days of debate, the first attempt to break the filibuster fell short by six votes, 54-44, and the second attempt by three votes, 57-41.

``The bill had some substantial things in it for consumers,'' said Victor Schwartz, lobbyist for businesses organized by the Product Liability Coordinating Committee.

But he said the bill failed because consumer groups never acknowledged the consumer provisions and they ``didn't get us more votes.''

In the previous congressional session, business interests got within two votes of breaking the filibuster on similar legislation, signaling a loss of momentum this year.

``I didn't sense from the business community that they were going to give up,'' said Schwartz. ``Maybe with a bill which is less complicated and less long you would have a better opportunity.''

by CNB