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USAction believes that victims of corporate abuse deserve the right to pursue justice, together, in the courts where state consumer protection, civil rights, labor and environmental laws can be enforced. USAction opposes efforts to limit access to justice for victims of corporate abuse.
Class actions have forced life-saving changes to consumer products and business practices. Cribs no longer strangle infants because of dangerous designs; flammable children’s pajamas have been taken off of the market; harmful medical devices have been redesigned; auto fuel systems have been strengthened; farm machinery have safety guards; and workers are no longer poisoned by asbestos in their workplaces. They have also resulted in refunds to consumers for fraudulent HMO, credit card and telecommunications billing practices.
Corporations that endanger workers, mislead consumers or harm the public must be held accountable for their actions. That is why states have increasingly adopted strong laws to protect consumers. Yet, proposals in Congress would make it more difficult to enforce these state consumer protection, civil rights, labor and environmental laws by forcing the majority of these class action lawsuits into the federal courts, which are traditionally friendlier to the business community.
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