06/10/2005
CONTACT: Michelle Dimarob, (202) 554-9000
WASHINGTON, D.C., June 9, 2005 —Dan Danner, NFIB executive vice president of public policy and political, released the following statement today in response to the legal reform agenda unveiled this morning by the Senate Republican Conference.
“While many of the legislative proposals outlined today have the potential to provide meaningful relief, the National Federation of Independent Business is especially pleased that the Commonsense Consumption Act of 2005 (S. 908) has been included on this legal reform agenda. The threat of these types of lawsuits weighs heavily on many of NFIB’s business owners who are involved in the restaurant business. Too often, they are seen as the ‘flavor of the week’ by a trial bar that is more concerned with their profits than with personal responsibility. Congress needs to pre-empt the lawsuit industry from cooking up new ways to victimize Main Street by supporting legislation like the Commonsense Consumption Act.
“For small-business owners, the threat of a frivolous lawsuit remains one of their greatest worries. While some claims are legitimate, large percentages are completely without merit. NFIB members say that being sued is one of the most threatening experiences for a small-business owner, especially for the smallest of the small, which can be put out of business by one lawsuit. NFIB will continue to support reforms of the legal system, including sanctions against attorneys who bring frivolous lawsuits.”
The National Federation of Independent Business is the nation’s largest small-business advocacy group. A nonprofit, nonpartisan organization founded in 1943, NFIB represents the consensus views of its 600,000 members in Washington, D.C., and all 50 state capitals.
