Senate Votes to ProtectPatient Rights

Dear Brett,

I have good news to report from Washington.

This evening, the Senate voted down two Motions to Proceed to the consideration of medical malpractice bills. Thanks to an aggressive lobbying, communications and grassroots campaign by ATLA and its members, proponents were not able to muster the votes necessary to proceed to either a broad medical malpractice bill or an OB/GYN malpractice bill. Senate rules required proponents to receive 60 affirmative votes to move forward. Effectively we did not need a single vote, while they needed 60.

On the broad medical malpractice bill (S. 22), the Motion failed with only 48 of the 60 votes needed for passage. Forty-two Senators opposed the Motion, including 39 Democratic Senators and Republican Senators Crapo, Graham and Shelby. Five Democrats, one Independent and seven Republicans were not present.

On the OB/GYN bill (S. 23), the Motion failed with only 49 of the 60 votes needed. Voting with us were 41 Democratic Senators and Republican Senators Crapo, Graham and Shelby. Three Democrats, one Independent and six Republicans were not present.

No Democrats present and voting supported either Motion. All Republicans present, except Senators Crapo, Graham and Shelby, supported both Motions.

For the third consecutive Congress, ATLA has successfully championed the rights of victims against Medical Malpractice legislation sponsored by powerful special interests.

If your Senator voted to oppose these measures, please thank them and let them know you support their vote. http://action.peopleoverprofits.org/legDirectory/

We are heartened by this outcome, but the fight is not over. The House plans to take up a similar measure June 26, so we plan to keep up the fight. We will pass along details as they become available.

This significant victory could not have been achieved without the help of ATLA members, many of whom contacted their Members of Congress, collected petition signatures and shared their clients' stories. Some of these stories were compiled in a book distributed to Members of Congress and the media. An online version can be found at www.peopleoverprofits.org/victims.

Again, if your Senator did not vote for the Motion to Proceed, please take a moment to thank them. http://action.peopleoverprofits.org/legDirectory/

Sincerely,

Ken Suggs
ATLA President

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