Asbestos Lawsuit: Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act of 2005

Your Asbestos Lawyer provides you with House Resolution 1360: Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act of 2005. If you have been injured by Asbestos, this document may help you understand your Asbestos lawsuit. To find out if you have a claim, use our FREE Asbestos Case Evaluator.

SEC. 101. ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE OF ASBESTOS DISEASE COMPENSATION.

(a) In General-

(1) ESTABLISHMENT- There is established within the Department of Labor the Office of Asbestos Disease Compensation (hereinafter referred to in this Act as the `Office'), which shall be headed by an Administrator.

(2) PURPOSE- The purpose of the Office is to provide timely, fair compensation, in the amounts and under the terms specified in this Act, on a no-fault basis and in a non-adversarial manner, to individuals whose health has been adversely affected by exposure to asbestos.

(3) EXPENSES- There shall be available from the Asbestos Injury Claims Resolution Fund to the Administrator such sums as are necessary for the administrative expenses of the Office, including the sums necessary for conducting the studies provided for in section 121(e).

(b) Appointment of Administrator-

(1) IN GENERAL- The Administrator of the Office of Asbestos Disease Compensation shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Administrator shall serve for a term of 5 years.

(2) REPORTING- The Administrator shall report directly to the Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Employment Standards Administration.

(c) Duties of Administrator-

(1) IN GENERAL- The Administrator shall be responsible for--

(A) processing claims for compensation for asbestos-related injuries and paying compensation to eligible claimants under the criteria and procedures established under title I;

(B) determining, levying, and collecting assessments on participants under title II;

(C) appointing or contracting for the services of such personnel, making such expenditures, and taking any other actions as may be necessary and appropriate to carry out the responsibilities of the Office, including entering into cooperative agreements with other Federal agencies or State agencies and entering into contracts with non-governmental entities;

(D) conducting such audits and additional oversight as necessary to assure the integrity of the program;

(E) managing the Asbestos Injury Claims Resolution Fund established under section 221, including--

(i) administering, in a fiduciary capacity, the assets of the Fund for the exclusive purpose of providing benefits to asbestos claimants and their beneficiaries;

(ii) defraying the reasonable expenses of administering the Fund;

(iii) investing the assets of the Fund in accordance with section 222(b);

(iv) retaining advisers, managers, and custodians who possess the necessary facilities and expertise to provide for the skilled and prudent management of the Fund, to assist in the development, implementation and maintenance of the Fund's investment policies and investment activities, and to provide for the safekeeping and delivery of the Fund's assets; and

(v) borrowing amounts authorized by section 221(b) on appropriate terms and conditions, including pledging the assets of or payments to the Fund as collateral;

(F) promulgating such rules, regulations, and procedures as may be necessary and appropriate to implement the provisions of this Act;

(G) making such expenditures as may be necessary and appropriate in the administration of this Act;

(H) excluding evidence and disqualifying or debarring any attorney, physician, provider of medical or diagnostic services, including laboratories and others who provide evidence in support of a claimant's application for compensation where the Administrator determines that materially false, fraudulent or fictitious statements or practices have been submitted or engaged in by such individuals or entities; and

(I) having all other powers incidental, necessary, or appropriate to carrying out the functions of the Office.

(2) CERTAIN ENFORCEMENTS- For each infraction relating to paragraph (1)(H), the Administrator also may impose a civil penalty not to exceed $10,000 on any person or entity found to have submitted or engaged in a materially false, fraudulent or fictitious statement or practice under this Act. The Administrator shall prescribe appropriate regulations to implement paragraph (1)(H).

(3) SELECTION OF DEPUTY ADMINISTRATORS- The Administrator shall select a Deputy Administrator for Claims Administration to carry out the Administrator's responsibilities under this title and a Deputy Administrator for Fund Management to carry out the Administrator's responsibilities under title II of this Act. The Deputy Administrators shall report directly to the Administrator and shall be in the Senior Executive Service.

(d) Expeditious Determinations- The Administrator shall prescribe rules to expedite claims for asbestos claimants with exigent circumstances.

(e) Audit and Personnel Review Procedures- The Administrator shall establish audit and personnel review procedures for evaluating the accuracy of eligibility recommendations of agency and contract personnel.

(f) Application of FOIA-

(1) IN GENERAL- Section 552 of title 5, United States Code (commonly referred to as the Freedom of Information Act) shall apply to the Office of Asbestos Disease Compensation and the Asbestos Insurers Commission.

(2) CONFIDENTIALITY- Any person may designate any record submitted under this section as a confidential commercial or financial record for purposes of section 552 of title 5, United States Code. The Administrator and the Chairman of the Asbestos Insurers Commission shall adopt procedures for designating such records as confidential. Information on reserves and asbestos-related liabilities submitted by any participant for the purpose of the allocation of payments under subtitles A and B of title II shall be deemed to be confidential financial records.