ABA Division for Media Relations and Communication Services

THE PRESS ROOM

American Bar Association
2006 Chicago Midyear Meeting

AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION ADOPTS NEW POLICY ON
DOMESTIC SURVEILLANCE, IMMIGRATION REFORM, ASBESTOS LITIGATION
AND MORE DURING MIDYEAR MEETING IN CHICAGO

The American Bar Association House of Delegates has voted overwhelmingly to urge the Bush Administration to comply with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act by seeking court orders for domestic wiretaps in terrorism investigations, or to seek amendments to the act if such are needed to protect national security.

During the Feb. 13 meeting, the House of Delegates, the ABA's policy-making body, also adopted a series of recommendations designed to protect the rights of injured claimants if the current tort based asbestos litigation system is changed to an administrative process. The policies are meant to ensure that claimants have access to representation, that any awards are not depleted by taxes or subrogation, and that any trust fund is adequately funded and contains contingent provisions to respond to any shortfall.

Among other action, the House adopted eight policies to improve the current immigration system; a policy opposing legislation that would prohibit, limit or restrict the placement of children into foster care with same-sex foster parents; a resolution urging Congress to investigate the response of the federal government to hurricanes Katrina and Rita and urging state governments in the affected states to explore mitigation efforts for future natural disasters; and a resolution urging Congress to appropriate funds for a commission to study and make findings about the present-day consequences of slavery in this country.

Information on these or other actions taken by the House, including full copies of the resolutions or supporting reports, is available from the ABA Division for Media Relations and Communication Services. Call Chris Tozer at 312/988-6128 or Nancy Slonim at 312/988-6132, or e-mail abanews@abanet.org.

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