To the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives:

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform supports H.R. 5437, the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Stone Slab Products Act. This bill would address the growing weaponization of the litigation system arising out of unlawful workplace practices in the stone slab industry.

Manufacturers and sellers of stone slab products are being held liable for workplace injuries caused by downstream third-party fabricators, entities over which they have no control and for which they bear no responsibility. The harm alleged in these lawsuits arises from certain downstream fabricators that utilize dry cutting, drilling, and grinding of stone slabs, in contravention of various federal and state workplace safety standards.

Yet plaintiffs' attorneys have pursued a wave of litigation seeking to hold upstream manufacturers and sellers liable for injuries they did not cause and could not prevent. This misuse of the civil justice system erodes public confidence in our courts, imposes unreasonable burdens on interstate commerce, increases housing costs, and threatens to destabilize a lawful industry.

H.R. 5437 would help restore certainty and clarity in the industry by prohibiting civil actions against manufacturers and sellers for injuries arising from third-party fabrication. Tort liability must be rooted in actual fault and not used against parties simply because they have an upstream or tangential connection to a product that was later mishandled by another entity. This bill offers narrow, common-sense protections that preserve relief for legitimate claims, while protecting innocent businesses from abusive litigation.

We thank Representatives McClintock and Biggs for their leadership on this issue, and we look forward to working with you as this bill makes its way through the legislative process.

Sincerely,

Stephen Waguespack
President
U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform