NU Online News Service, May 12, 12:38 p.m. EDT, Washington–The Senate Judiciary Committee continues to draft legislation creating an alternative resolution system for asbestos injury claims today after passage of a key amendment yesterday.

Passage of an amendment, providing accelerated payments to the sickest victims, makes it more likely that such legislation will make it out of the committee before the Memorial Day break. The amendment was passed by voice vote. The bill would create a $140 billion fund to pay claimants.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., introduced the key amendment. She had warned for several weeks that failure to include such language was a deal-breaker for her.

Want to continue reading?
Become a Free PropertyCasualty360 Digital Reader

  • All PropertyCasualty360.com news coverage, best practices, and in-depth analysis.
  • Educational webcasts, resources from industry leaders, and informative newsletters.
  • Other award-winning websites including BenefitsPRO.com and ThinkAdvisor.com.
NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.