Extensions of Remarks E2015 EXTENSIONS of REMARKS
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October 21, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks E2015 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS IN RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL TRIBUTE TO TERRY M. RYAN leagues, and the Township of Little Falls in MAMMOGRAPHY DAY AND recognizing Terry M. Ryan's many outstanding BREAST CANCER AWARENESS HON. BILL PASCRELL, JR. and invaluable contributions to the community. MONTH OF NEW JERSEY f IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES A CALL FOR PRODUCT LIABILITY HON. BOB RILEY Tuesday, October 21, 1997 REFORM Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to OF ALABAMA call to your attention Terry M. Ryan of Little HON. WILLIAM M. THOMAS Falls, NJ, as he is very deservingly honored IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF CALIFORNIA this evening by Wayne General Hospital. Tuesday, October 21, 1997 Terry is president of Hanson & Ryan, Inc. in IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Totowa, NJ. He joined the agency in 1970 and Tuesday, October 21, 1997 Mr. RILEY. Mr. Speaker, today, somewhere is responsible for oversight of all agency oper- in this country, a woman has been diagnosed Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to ad- ations. Terry also serves as president of Fi- dress an issue that may soon have severe im- with breast cancer. There's no cure to offer nancial Services subsidiary, T.M. Ryan Finan- plications for our health industry. Within the her. There's no known cause to explain her cial Services, Inc. Hanson & Ryan, Inc. has next year there may be a shortage of critical condition. She's just joined a club of over been listed in Business News of New Jersey medical devices on the market due to the un- 180,000 women, who have received the same as one of the ``Top 50 Insurance Brokers.'' availability of biomaterials. Biomaterials, such Terry attended Syracuse University and terrible news from their doctor. What's even as teflon, polyurethane, and polyester yarn, graduated from the College of Insurance with worse is that she may join another group of are necessary components in medical devices, a degree in insurance and risk management. over 43,000 women who die from breast can- for hip and knee implants, pacemakers, and Active in the industry throughout his career, cer every year. And she will likely wonder if catheters. What makes these biomaterials Terry was a founder of the IIANJ [Independent there is anything she could have done to stop special is that their biological nature will not be Insurance Agents of New Jersey] Young it. rejected by the immune system. Their chemi- Agents Committee and served as its first cal properties are specialized to fit the durabil- And the answer is yesÐwomen are not chairman in 1974. He served IIAA [Independ- ity and the malleability that is needed in con- powerless in this fight for their lives. Over 92 ent Insurance Agents of America] as regional structing implants, like the tiny cochlear ear percent of breast cancers can be treated with director of the National YAC [Young Agents implant which enhances hearing. early detection and prompt treatment. Committee] for 3 years. Terry has been a What has caused this short supply of bio- October 17 is National Mammography Day member of the Agents Advisory Council for materials? Biomaterials suppliers are leaving and I am proud to be a cosponsor of House Aetna Casualty & Surety and served as chair- the market of medical devices because of an Resolution 235, which recognizes the impor- man. He has also been the New Jersey rep- onslaught of litigation. The suppliers of bio- tance of mammographies in the fight against resentative to the GPC council for Aetna and materials have rarely been found liable for de- has served on GRE Insurance Group Advisory breast cancer. I want to encourage every fects in the manufacture of a medical device. woman across this country to become more Council. Terry has served on the executive commit- The reason is that the biomaterial seldom has proactive in the fight against this disease by anything to do with defect of the product. With scheduling mammograms for herself or some- tee of the IIAPC [Independent Insurance Agents of Passaic County]. He has received so many victories, why would the biomaterials one she loves. The most effective way to bat- makers continue to face litigation threats? tle breast cancer is to detect the disease in its the New Jersey Department of Insurance Mer- itorious Service Award and IIANJ's Young Why do plaintiffs and trial lawyers pursue in- earliest stages, when treatment is possible. nocent, though hapless, suppliers of biomate- Through mammogram screening, physicians Agent of the Year Award. Terry is chairman of the Insurance Commit- rials? Because they can. In the United States, can discover breast cancer up to 2 years be- tee for the Township of Little Falls and very anyone willing to pay a court filing fee can fore a woman could through self-examination. notably is currently chairman of the Board of bring a lawsuit for any reason and pursue it Clearly, the sooner the disease is diagnosed, Wayne General Hospital. He has been active through actual trial even with no hope of suc- the better the chance a woman has to survive. in many additional community organizations cess. And while manufacturers of medical de- This is an issue that's obviously important to and received citations for his work in those vices are relatively small and go bankrupt every woman in this Nation. However, it's an areas. Among those organizations, he has when forced to pay large litigation settlements, issue that should be crucial to America as a served as a youth sports coaching program suppliers of biomaterials have deep pockets whole. I've been blessed through the women honorary trustee of the Passaic County 200 and thereby attract the voracious appetites of in my life. I have a wonderful wife, three lovely Club of which he was cofounder. the major trial lawyers. daughters, a great daughter-in-law, and the An active member of his community, Terry Thus, biomaterial suppliers, most of which prettiest little granddaughter any one has ever is currently a member of the board of directors are companies that sell a small percentage of seen. It scares me to know that 1 out of 9 of the Passaic Valley Rotary Club, the Na- its overall production to medical device manu- women in America will be diagnosed with tional Notary Association, the Little Falls Ath- facturers, are subject to litigation for products breast cancer in their lifetime. Out of these letic Club, and an associate member of the that it had no say or responsibility. Biomaterial five ladies in my life, there is a chance one of Passaic Police Chief's Association. He is a suppliers are being litigated against for simply them will one day become a member of the past member of the board of directors, Pas- supplying the raw materials. 180,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer. saic Valley Kiwanis, the Hamilton Club of One example of the problem with litigation Paterson, vice-president-elect and board reaching too far in the biomaterials industry in- So, today I call on all Americans, both men member of the Passaic Valley Chamber of volves DuPont, a maker of synthetic materials. and women, to focus more attention on this Commerce, board member of the American DuPont sold teflon to a manufacturer that deadly disease and to become more active in Cancer SocietyÐPassaic County chapter, and made temporo mandibular joint implants. The the fight against it. After all, virtually everyone a member of the board of directors for the manufacturer was sued on the grounds of tort has a mother or a sister, a wife or a daughter Passaic County Historical Society. law, where the plaintiff believed that the im- that he or she loves and depends on. Women Terry resides in Little Falls with his wife, plant was defective. The manufacturer went are too important, too precious to this Nation Debbie and three children, Sean, Carrie, and bankrupt so the plaintiff held DuPont liable for for any of us to ignore one of their most recur- Kristin. the defective implant. With only about 5 cents' rent killers. I know all the women in my life are Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me, our col- worth of teflon in each mandibular joint im- to me. leagues, Terry's family, friends, and col- plant, DuPont was named in over 250 different · This ``bullet'' symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. E2016 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks October 21, 1997 cases. DuPont won every case. However, the tain industries, while ignoring the problems had a white parent. Martin Luther King, Jr. litigation cost was almost $50 million over 8 that excessive litigation is having on other in- (who had an Irish grandmother and some In- years. Result: DuPont left the medical device dustries, is not the solution. We tried, in 1995, dian ancestry), W.E.B. DuBois and Malcolm market after it decided, without too much dif- X had some Caucasian ancestry. The NAACP to enact product liability reform but it was ve- estimates that 70 percent of those who iden- ficulty, that its sales for 5 cents of teflon re- toed by the President. I ask Congress to enact tify themselves as African American are of sulted in millions of dollars in legal expenses. comprehensive product liability reform. mixed racial heritage. And then there is Do we hold steel mills responsible for the f Tiger Woods, who calls himself criminal use of a gun? Do we hold makers of ``Cablinasian''ÐCaucasian, black, Indian, car paint liable for every auto accident? The HONORING KAY KEYSER OF Asian.