Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2005
(Washington, D.C.) – Today’s 61-38 vote in the Senate against the pro-consumer Feinstein-Bingaman amendment on the class action bill is a sad day for consumers, said Sally Greenberg, senior product safety counsel for Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports.
“Consumers who are victims of fraud, who suffer toxic pollution of their air and water, or suffer discrimination in the workplace have precious few avenues of redress. Now, the U.S. Senate has closed off citizens’ ability to band together and have their claims heard by their own judges in their own state courts under their own state laws,” Greenberg said.
“The Feinstein-Bingaman amendment would have insured that consumers had a forum, and that a Federal Court couldn’t throw out a case because plaintiffs from too many states were involved. Without that protection, we fear that consumers will find themselves totally without a forum to have their cases heard.
“Consumers Union is greatly disappointed that members of the Senate have chosen to side with the largest corporations in America – many of whom lobbied heavily for this bill – and against the interests of regular people seeking access to justice,” Greenberg added.
Contact: Sally Greenberg, (202) 462-6262