FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 12, 2013
ADAO President Travels to Washington, D.C. to Voice Asbestos Victims’ Opposition to H.R. 982
The FACT Act delays and denies justice and puts asbestos victims’ privacy at risk
Washington, DC— Mesothelioma widow and Co- founder of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), Linda Reinstein, traveled to Washington, D.C. to urge representatives to vote against the The FACT Act (H.R. 982), a bill scheduled for a floor vote in the U.S. House of Representatives this week. Ms. Reinstein will be joined by Ellen, a mesothelioma patient who gave a compelling speech about the difficult hurdles that asbestos patients face today when it comes to privacy protection and justice.
The FACT Act is designed to make it even more difficult for asbestos victims to receive justice in court and hold asbestos corporations responsible for the harm their products have caused. It would also violate asbestos victims’ privacy by releasing sensitive information on a public website.
“The dangers of asbestos have been known since 1930. Corporations that exposed their workers to a known carcinogen should be held accountable,” said Reinstein. “It is devastating to lose a loved one to asbestos-diseases. The fact that the House is considering legislation that will let asbestos corporations off the hook is incomprehensible.”
Asbestos is still legal and lethal in the U.S. Asbestos disease claims more than 10,000 American lives each year and imports continue. That’s a fact. But that number does not include the families and children left behind with no means of financial support.
ADAO has been an outspoken opponent of the FACT Act since it was first introduced in 2012. Last week, ADAO issued an action alert calling on its members to contact their representatives and urge them to Vote NO on the FACT Act.
How the FACT Act Hurts Asbestos Victims and their Families:
- Lists the last four digits of asbestos victims’ Social Security numbers on a public website
- Creates new barriers and delays for victims receiving compensation and justice
- Threatens the security of asbestos victims by revealing financial information
- Jeopardizes asbestos victims and families for possible blacklisting and discrimination
- Publicly lists “the name and exposure history of, a claimant and the basis for any payment from the trust made to such claimant”
The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) was founded by asbestos victims and their families in 2004. ADAO seeks to give asbestos victims a united voice to help ensure that their rights are fairly represented and protected, and raise public awareness about the dangers of asbestos exposure and the often deadly asbestos-related diseases. ADAO is funded through voluntary contributions and staffed by volunteers. For more information, visit www.asbestosdiseaseawareness.org.
Contact: Kim Larkin
Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization
media@asbestosdiseaseawareness.org
(202) 391-5205
