Taking The Hill
by Stephen B. McDonald, ASA Government Affairs Consultant Product Liability
The Senate approved the House and Senate conference agreement on legislation to limit damages in product liability lawsuits. The bill would place caps on punitive damage awards in product liability cases in either federal or state court and would establish uniform federal laws for such cases. Punitive damages are awarded in civil cases where the defendant’s acts are shown to be criminally negligent. In pledging to veto the bill, President Clinton said it would remove important protections for consumers harmed by faulty products. Opponents also say the threat of litigation puts necessary pressure on manufacturers to develop safe products.Small Business Regulations
The Senate passed legislation easing federal regulations on small businesses. The measure would allow small businesses to take federal agencies to court if they do not comply with a "reg flex" analysis. The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 requires agencies to review the impact of new regulations on small businesses. In addition, federal agencies would be required to simplify forms and publish a "plain English" guide to help small businesses. Agencies would also be directed to waive fines for first-time violations by small businesses if the violations were corrected within a certain time period.Clinton Budget
As part of his fiscal year 1997 budget proposal, President Clinton is asking Congress to give him $808.4 million in spending authority for the Small Business Administration (SBA), an increase from this year’s $715 million. The budget for SBA’s 7(a) loan guarantee program would rise in 1997 to $294.8 million, which would support guarantee levels to $11 billion for small business loans. Under the 7(a) program, the SBA can guarantee about 70 percent of long-term small business loans totaling up to $750,000.Minimum Wage
Senate Democrats tried to offer an amendment to unrelated legislation that would raise the federally guaranteed minimum wage from $4.25 to $5.15 in two annual increments of 45 cents. President Clinton made this same proposal a year ago. Majority Leader Robert Dole (R-Kan.) cleared the way for a procedural vote on a motion to kill the amendment. The motion failed and the Senate will schedule a vote to invoke cloture on the minimum wage amendment, thereby ending debate. Democrats have vowed to use the minimum wage as an election-year issue.Line-item Veto
President Clinton signed into law the line-item veto, allowing presidents to selectively veto spending programs in appropriations bills. The veto authority will extend through 2004 and targets discretionary spending, but not existing entitlement programs like Social Security, Medicare or interest on the national debt. Proponents of the measure viewed it as acknowledgment that Congress is incapable of stopping "pork barrel spending." A court challenge has been launched by opponents who believe this veto violates the Constitution’s separation of powers doctrine.ASA Main Page || AutoInc. Main Page
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AutoInc. Magazine ®, Vol. XLIV No. 5, May 1996