Medical Malpractice House Panel Approves Medical Liability Bill The House Judiciary Committee approved a bill Feb. 16 along party lines that would preempt state law to overhaul the medical liability system – a move long opposed by the ABA.
Courts & Judiciary Panel Addresses Issues Surrounding Delays in Judicial Confirmations Immediate Past President Carolyn B. Lamm appeared Feb. 1 on an American Constitution Society (ACS) panel discussing delays in the federal judicial nomination and confirmation process.
Federal Government House Committee Examines U.N. Funding Issues Witnesses appearing before a Jan. 25 House Committee on Foreign Affairs briefing to examine urgent problems at the United Nations overwhelmingly argued in favor of U.S action to push for sweeping reforms of the international organization.
Federal Government FTC Takes Action Against Notario Fraud ABA President Stephen N. Zack applauded the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) earlier this month for filing a complaint in the U.S. District Court of Nevada against the alleged unauthorized practice of immigration law and notario fraud, which is becoming an increasingly serious problem within the immigrant communities throughout the United States.
Federal Government ABA Urges Congress to Ensure Availability of USPTO Fees ABA President Stephen N. Zack expressed the association’s concerns to House appropriators Feb. 4 about funding for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), which operates entirely on user fee collections but is currently in a crisis.
Trade, Sports & Professional Associations ABA Remembers Bob Evans Robert D. Evans, who headed the ABA Governmental Affairs Office for 25 years during his 35-year career at the association, died Jan. 16.
Federal Government Bill Would Extend USA PATRIOT Act Provisions The House cleared legislation Feb. 17 to extend the “library,” “lone wolf” and “roving wiretap” anti-terrorism provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act through May 27 after agreement could not be reached on proposals to either make the provisions permanent or extend them through 2013.
Federal Government Washington News Briefs Financial Action Task Force, Website Accessibility, Attorney-Client Privilege
Federal Government ABA Files Supplemental Brief in Red Flags Case In a supplemental brief filed Feb. 3 with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the ABA maintained that the Red Flag Program Clarification Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-319), signed into law in December, reflects that Congress never intended to include lawyers in the practice of law as “creditors” under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (FACT Act).