By Christy Plunkett Foertsch
U.S. Senate Committee Passes Asbestos Bill
Senate Bill 852, the FAIR Act, has passed the Senate Judiciary Committee by a vote of 13-5 but not without concerns from supporters that the bill will not pass on the Senate floor. The legislation would create a $140 billion trust fund for victims of asbestos-related illnesses. The concerns stem from not knowing how many people would qualify, which companies and insurers would contribute to the fund, and how much each would owe. Key provisions include the removal, from federal and state courts, of lawsuits seeking compensation for health effects from asbestos. The fund would be administered by the Office of Asbestos Disease Compensation created by the bill and housed in the U.S. Department of Labor. In addition, medical criteria would be established for payment levels; attorneys' fees would be capped at 5 percent; and products containing asbestos would be banned with some exemptions applying to the U.S. Department of Defense.
Right to Repair Act Reintroduced in U.S. Congress
U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, has reintroduced the Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act 2005, H.R. 2048. This new measure removed several key provisions included in the Right to Repair legislation, H.R. 2735, introduced in the previous two Congresses. Provisions eliminated include private right of action, parts information and vague Federal Trade Commission enforcement. In 2002, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers signed a voluntary agreement with the Automotive Service Association (ASA) to provide the service information needed to repair vehicles to the independent repairer.
Draft Legislation Includes Loan Guarantees for Fuel Efficiency Technology
The U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has developed draft legislation that includes loan guarantees to produce advanced technology vehicles. It is part of a broader effort to aid several fuel efficient technologies. Other technologies will be included under the loan guarantee - such as renewable energy systems, fossil energy technology, coal gasification, nuclear energy facilities, hydrogen fuel cell technology and carbon capture, as well as others.
EPA to Consider Vehicle Emission Controls
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) upcoming regulation on air toxics from mobile sources could place an extra burden on automakers by establishing new emission controls for vehicles, as well as setting new fuel limits on benzene. The rule, which could strengthen mobile source air toxics standards, is a concern among some within the auto industry. The EPA is still considering all options and has not yet made final decisions on what controls to include in the final rule. The rule could include vehicle controls that will require automakers to reduce emissions from evaporation and exhausts.
U.S. House Passes Anti-Counterfeiting Bill
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed H.R. 32, the Stop Counterfeiting in Manufactured Goods Act, unanimously. The bill will increase the penalties for criminals who distribute counterfeit products by closing existing loopholes in the federal law and granting trademark owners similar remedies already provided to copyright and trade secret owners. The legislation also adds mandatory destruction provisions on trademark law to put criminals out of business and clarify that it is illegal for counterfeiters to sell counterfeit versions of the trademarks on labels and patches and to others who affix them to counterfeit products.