Senate Joins House In Introducing Respirator Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Senate has introduced its version of the Respirator Access Assurance Act, a bill that would extinguish certain product liability claims against respirator manufacturers.

The Senate version, S.1406, was introduced July 14 by Sen. John Cornyn R-Texas. The bill, which says its intention is to "protect American workers and responders by ensuring continued commercial availability of respirators," is identical to one introduced May 12 in the House of Representatives.

If signed into law, the measures would preclude certain product liability claims against a seller or manufacturer of a respiratory protection device that have not yet proceeded …