| Liability Protections Needed for Those on Frontlines of COVID-19 Response and Relief Efforts |
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| Wednesday, April 15 2020 |
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The Center for Individual Freedom (CFIF) this week joined a coalition of nearly two dozen organizations, led by the Center for Freedom and Prosperity, on a letter urging Congress to support stronger liability protections for businesses, healthcare professionals and other essential workers on the frontlines of the nation’s coronavirus response and relief efforts. “While the rest of America has come together to fight this pandemic, some trial lawyers have instead plotted to line their pockets with COVID-19 related lawsuits. Their greed is hurting America in this time of crisis, and lawmakers must put their exploitation of this public health crisis into check,” the letter reads. Read the full letter below or here (PDF). April 15, 2020 The Honorable Mitch McConnell The Honorable Nancy Pelosi Dear Majority Leader McConnell and Speaker Pelosi: The undersigned organizations write to ask for your support in providing stronger liability protections that are consistent with the principles of federalism to those currently on the frontlines of the nation’s coronavirus response and relief efforts. Members representing both sides of the aisle in Congress, including Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Az.), Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) have raised the need for Congress to do so in some capacity, and for good reason. While the rest of America has come together to fight this pandemic, some trial lawyers have instead plotted to line their pockets with COVID-19 related lawsuits. Their greed is hurting America in this time of crisis, and lawmakers must put their exploitation of this public health crisis into check. Because of the looming threat posed by the trial lawyers’ tort agendas, doctors and healthcare professionals remain fearful of making the tough healthcare decisions that are needed to respond to this pandemic; hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities are afraid that the care delivered in unprecedented circumstances will be second-guessed; manufacturers are hesitant to produce essential products; and transportation companies are risking their very existence to keep America supplied. If trial lawyers’ predatory, self-serving agenda succeeds, it will hobble our nation’s economic recovery. Costs will significantly rise on the American people in the form of higher healthcare bills, reduced competition and access to treatment and care, and increased prices on the goods and services that they need to weather this crisis. Vital industries that support our economy could suffer catastrophic bankruptcies. Worst of all, much of the innovation and capital needed to find cures, both to this disease and the economic devastation posed by it, will face significant delays as well, exacerbating the feelings of hopelessness and despair felt throughout the nation. Only the nation’s trial lawyers would benefit from this type of system. We urge you to embrace reasonable constitutional reform proposals to create shields from trial lawyers’ frivolous, costly, and job-killing litigation schemes. Doing so will advance the interests and well-being of the American people through the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Sincerely, Andrew F. Quinlan ~ President, Center for Freedom and Prosperity |