The National Law Journal reports that the “chances that Tuesday’s elections would produce a split or Republican-controlled Congress inspired optimism among Washington’s top lobbyists, who see opportunities to negotiate tax, health care and budget policy issues.” Republicans, who “won control of the Senate and cemented their hold on Congress,” may “resuscitate fiscal legislation while trying to curtail some of the Obama administration’s achievements, such as the Affordable Care Act and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s enforcement.” Lisa Rickard, “president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for Legal Reform, was optimistic that a Republican-controlled Congress would move on litigation reform built on bills including the Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency Act and the Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act, which both passed the House in 2013. She said she is hopeful plaintiffs’ attorneys would face greater scrutiny in Congress,” but American Association for Justice CEO Linda Lipsen responded, “Regardless of which party is in the majority, we will continue to fight to protect access to justice for all Americans and to ensure that the corporations bankrolling the U.S. Chamber’s efforts are legally accountable for any harm they cause.”
From the news release of the American Association for Justice.
