mr. speaker , i rise in strong opposition to this legislation .  today republicans are bringing to the floor as their first major legislative action a payback to big business at the expense of consumers .  the republican agenda is to ensure that some americans do not get their day in court .  make no mistake that this class action bill before us today is an extreme bill .  it is not a compromise bill as some have claimed .  it is an extreme bill that is an injustice to consumers and a windfall for irresponsible corporations .  consumers will be hit hard by this bill , mr. speaker .  it lumps together individual personal injury cases such as those involving vioxx , which are not class action under current procedures , and forces them into the federal courts .  doing so will greatly increase the likelihood that such cases will never be heard .  when americans are injured or even killed by vioxx or celebrex or discriminated against by walmart , they may never get their day in court .  those cases that do go forward will take significantly longer because the federal courts are overburdened and unequipped for this caseload .  that is why the bill is opposed by federal judges , including the judicial conference of the united states .  special interests have even admitted that the real intent of this bill is to clog the federal courts and , therefore , stop the cases .  to irresponsible corporations , however , the class action bill is a belated valentine .  it is exactly what they have asked for .  powerful corporations will largely be immune from the accountability that currently comes from meritorious state class action cases .  for example , this bill would help shield large corporations from any accountability for enron-style shareholder fraud , for activities that violate employee rights under state law , and for telemarketing fraud targeted at the elderly .  it should come as no surprise , however , that republicans are seeking yet another way to protect irresponsible corporations .  the washington post reported that last year 's republican medical malpractice bill contained special liability protections that would have precluded consumers from suing to recover punitive damages arising for the types of injuries caused by vioxx and celebrex .  protecting big drug companies is always at the top of the republican agenda .  we saw that in the prescription drug bill under medicare .  this is yet again another example of republicans being the handmaidens of the pharmaceutical industry .  this bill also runs counter to the principles of federalism that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle claim to support .  it throws thousands of state cases into federal courts that are not equipped to adjudicate state laws .  for instance , lawsuits involving the enforcement of the state hourly wage laws , which often have greater protections than federal wage laws , would be forced into federal courts .  in fact , 46 state attorneys general on a bipartisan basis have requested an exemption so that they can continue to protect their citizens under the state consumer protection laws in state courts .  the republicans have rejected that request while democrats have incorporated it into our substitute .  democrats in our substitute support sensible approaches that weed out frivolous lawsuits but not meritorious claims .  our democratic substitute says that certain kinds of cases must always have their day in court .  physical injury cases , civil rights cases , wage and hour cases , state attorneys general cases , and others must be heard if we are to remain a nation that strives for justice for all .  president harry truman said it so well .  `` the democratic party stands for the people .  the republican party stands , and has always stood , for special interest. '' i urge my colleagues to stand up to the special interests , to support the democratic substitute , to listen , to listen to the recommendation of the federal judges and the judicial conference of the united states and oppose this extreme legislation .  