SOUTHEAST TEXAS RECORD

To the Editor,

Less than two weeks after taking office, the new administration in Washington has already embraced changes that will create more lawsuits in our country.

In passing the Ledbetter Act, which essentially guts the statute of limitations for certain types of litigation, the administration is ignoring the will of America's voters.

An election-day survey showed that while voters supported change, change did not mean creating new ways to sue.

In that survey, nearly 8 in 10 voters said that any Congressional actions that create new lawsuits will have a negative impact on the economy.

The Ledbetter Act will affect only employment discrimination lawsuits. With two daughters in college, I strongly support any measures to ensure that men and women receive equal pay for equal work.

But changes that will allow open-ended litigation are not the answer. I fear this change isn't about fairness in the workplace, it's about lining the pockets for personal injury trial layers.

Sincerely,

Jon Smiley
Texans Against Lawsuit Abuse