Senate Leaders Set March 2004 Target Date for Federal Asbestos Legislation

Following what some Washington insiders proclaimed was the "Year of Asbestos Legislation," Senate leaders recently wound down the 2003 session of the 108th Congress by proclaiming that 2004 may be the year it moves on a measure aimed at stemming the rising tide of asbestos claims.

photo-1On Nov. 22, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist announced that rather than force a vote on a controversial bill designed to funnel all pending and future asbestos claims into a multi-billion dollar trust, he plans to bring the measure to a vote by March 2004.

Frist said he made the decision to delay a …