Federal Asbestos Legislation: The Search for a Strategy

icSendictrangely, given the substantial progress made in the last Congress on this long-festering issue, there is a certain ambient pessimism in the Washington community regarding prospects for comprehensive asbestos legislation in the current session.

photo-1On the part of opponents, there is supreme confidence that the tactics employed with eleventh-hour success in the last Congress - the ginning-up of the Libby story combined with crude threats of negative campaign advertising made to Republicans and Democrats alike - will be adequate to thwart any renewed legislative efforts this year. And among proponents of reform, there is an attitude of caution and …