Last week, Bernie Sanders faced blow-back for his “tone-deaf” position on gun manufacturer liability. When asked if he wanted to apologize to the families of gun violence victims for his vote to make it harder to sue gun manufacturers, he repeatedly refused.
Bernie Sanders stands up for those who want to sue for Y2K computer failures or restaurants over weight gain, yet he continues to stand in the way of families of gun violence victims who want to stand up to the gun industry. Sanders really needs to get his priorities straight.
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Stuff You Can Sue |
Stuff You Cannot Sue |
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Bernie Sanders voted to make it easier to sue over Y2K computer failures. Bernie Sanders voted against passage of the bill to limit lawsuits resulting from Year 2000 computer failures; limit damage awards from Y2K lawsuits at $250,000, or three times the actual damage, whichever is greater; impose a 90 day waiting period before a lawsuit could be brought. Passed 236-190: R 208-9; D 28-180; I 0-1. [CQ vote report; House vote #128, 5/12/99] Bernie Sanders voted to make it easier to sue machine tool manufacturers. Bernie Sanders voted against passage of the bill to impose an 18-year limit on lawsuits against manufacturers of durable goods, such as machine tools, for injuries caused by their products. The time limit would begin when the product first enters the stream of commerce and would apply only to employees eligible for workers’ compensation. Passed 222-194: R 198-17; D 23-176; I 1-1. [CQ vote report; House vote #7, 2/2/00] Bernie Sanders voted to make it easier to sue over food that contains genetically engineered material. Bernie Sanders voted for the Andrews, D-N.J., amendment no. 2 that would permit civil liability suits in cases related to food that contains genetically engineered material, unless the food’s labeling explicitly states that it contains genetically engineered material. Rejected 129-285: R 0-220; D 128-65; I 1-0. [CQ vote report; House vote #50, 3/10/04] Bernie Sanders voted to make it easier to sue restaurants over weight gain. Bernie Sanders voted against passage of the bill that would prohibit lawsuits in federal or state courts against restaurants, food manufacturers and distributors based on claims that the food contributed to the plaintiff’s obesity or weight gain. The bill would allow suits if the defendant knowingly and willfully violated federal or state laws governing the labeling, advertising or selling of food products. Passed 276-139: R 221-1; D 55-137; I 0-1. [CQ vote report; House vote #54, 3/10/04] Bernie Sanders voted to make it easier to sue chain restaurants for obesity-related injuries of children under 8. Bernie Sanders voted for the Filner, D-Calif., amendment that would allow lawsuits for obesity-related injuries of children age 8 and under against chain outlets with at least 20 stores that have marketed food to children under age 8. Rejected 129-298: R 1-227; D 127-71; I 1-0. [CQ vote report; House vote #530, 10/19/05] Bernie Sanders voted to make it easier to sue corporations for underperforming. Bernie Sanders voted against adoption of the rule (HRes105) to provide for House floor consideration of the bill to prevent frivolous lawsuits against corporations that perform short of investors’ expectations. Adopted 257-155: R 220-0; D 37-154; I 0-1. [CQ vote report; House vote #208, 3/7/95] Bernie Sanders voted to make it easier to sue dietary supplement makers. Bernie Sanders voted for the Waxman, D-Calif., amendment that would allow lawsuits against dietary supplement makers for damages because of obesity, weight gain or related health problems. Rejected 177-247: R 5-221; D 171-26; I 1-0. [CQ vote report; House vote #532, 10/19/05] Bernie Sanders voted to make it easier to sue telemarketers for fraud. Bernie Sanders voted for the Swift, D-Wash., motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill to require the Federal Trade Commission to issue rules to prohibit deceptive and abusive telemarketing activities; allow states to bring civil actions in federal courts to stop fraudulent telemarketing practices; and allow individuals who lost more than $50,000 through telemarketing schemes to sue in federal court. Passed 411-3: R 165-2; D 245-1; I 1-0. [CQ vote report; House vote #45, 3/2/93] |
Bernie Sanders voted to make it harder to sue gun manufacturers. Bernie Sanders voted for passage of the bill that would bar certain civil lawsuits against manufacturers, distributors, dealers and importers of firearms and ammunition, principally those lawsuits aimed at making them liable for gun violence. Trade groups also would be protected and all pending legal action against gunmakers would be dismissed. It also would, with certain exceptions, make it unlawful for licensed gun importers, manufacturers or dealers to sell, deliver or transfer handguns without a secure gun storage or safety device. As amended, it would establish penalties for noncompliance, including a six-month suspension of a license, the revocation of a license, or a $2,500 fine. It would require the attorney general to commission a study on the feasibility of uniform standard for the testing of projectiles against body armor. Penalties for violent or drug trafficking crimes in which the perpetrator uses or possesses armor-piercing ammunition would be increased to a minimum of 15 years imprisonment. If death resulted from the use of such ammunition, a person could be imprisoned up to life or face the death penalty. Note: A “yea” was a vote in support of the president’s position. Passed (thus cleared for the president) 283-144: R 223-4; D 59-140 (ND 31-118, SD 28-22); I 1-0. [CQ vote report; House vote #534, 10/20/05] |