Posted on November 12, 2013
Sometime I feel like a broken record when I remind Congressional Members that “Asbestos Victims Oppose H.R. 982. The FACT Act was written for the #asbestos industry – NOT US!”
Ellen Patton, mesothelioma patient, and I joined Michelle Schwartz from Alliance for Justice, Julia Duncan of American Association for Justice, and Judy Van Ness, a mesothelioma widow for the Asbestos Cancer Victims’ Rights Campaign, at the House Staff briefing. It was exciting to have a room filled with staffers who were eager to learn how and why the asbestos victims oppose the FACT Act.
Ellen gave a powerful presentation about how mesothelioma has ruined her life and shared personal examples about how the FACT Act would negatively impact patients and families with higher hurdles and lost wages. Ellen is an inspiration to many mesothelioma patients around the world. Her situation is very unusual. Most people diagnosed with mesothelioma die within 6 to 12 months.
Please join me in thanking Ellen for using her voice again to make certain Congress hears us. As Ellen said, “we’re not just statistics – we’re real people.”
ADAO is urging everyone to help us stop H.R. 982—The Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency (FACT) Act of 2013. The House will be having a vote on the FACT Act and we are encouraging everyone to learn about the Act and tell your elected representative not to support it!
H.R. 982 Would Invade Privacy, Deny Justice and Delay Compensation for Asbestos Victims
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”
It’s not too late to let your elected representatives know you don’t agree with this injustice.
H.R. 982 does not protect Americans hurt by asbestos. To this day, asbestos is still lethal and legal the United States and kills more than 10,000 Americans every year. Corporations knew asbestos was deadly by the 1930s, but the asbestos industry hid the facts, and continued to expose workers and their families to its dangers, putting millions at risk for serious and deadly diseases.
Congress should focus on keeping Americans safe from deadly products, not protecting corporations that deliberately put workers and consumers in danger.
Together, change is possible.