Rep. Chris Cox press release on HR __, Year 2000 Readiness and Responsibility Act.
Re: Year 2000 technology problem litigation.
Date: February 23, 1999.
Source: Office of Rep. Chris Cox (R-CA).

Policy Chairman Cox Joins in Introducing Year 2000 Readiness Bill

WASHINGTON (Tuesday, February 23, 1999)-House Policy Chairman Christopher Cox (R-CA) today announced a bipartisan effort to encourage mitigation, not litigation, when it comes to handling Year 2000 computer problems.

"Year 2000 legal costs could exceed $1 trillion, far more than the cost of fixing the problem," Chairman Cox said. "The threat of litigation is delaying and complicating good faith efforts to fix the Year 2000 computer problem. Our legal system should encourage people to spend time and money solving Year 2000 computer problems before they occur. The best way to reduce lawsuits and protect consumers from Year 2000 damages is to prevent such problems on January 1, 2000, before the courts reopen on January 3."

The Year 2000 Readiness and Responsibility Act is being introduced by Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA), Rep. Cox, Rep. David Dreier (R-CA), Rep. Bud Cramer (D-AL), Rep. Cal Dooley (D-CA), and Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA).

The bill encourages preventive measures to protect against damages from Year 2000 computer failures by protecting people who make reasonable efforts to prevent Year 2000 failures (and penalizing those who don't); encouraging alternative dispute resolution instead of costly, time-consuming litigation; preventing vague "fishing expedition" lawsuits; making sure people are responsible for the share of any Year 2000 problem they cause (and not problems caused by others); guarding against "jackpot" recoveries unrelated to any actual harm; protecting consumers' rights in litigation by requiring lawyers to make full disclosure of their fees and the actual services they have performed; and helping small businesses prevent Year 2000 computer failures.

"This legislation is a top priority, because there must be every incentive for people and companies to take all steps reasonably necessary to solve Year 2000 problems before they happen," Chairman Cox said.

This is the third major bipartisan technology bill sponsored by Chairman Cox, who previously passed the Internet Freedom and Family Empowerment Act (providing Good Samaritan protection for those attempting to protect children from inappropriate content on the Internet) and the Internet Tax Freedom Act (preventing federal, state and local taxes on the Internet). Chairman Cox has also authored a number of litigation reform measures, including the Securities Litigation Reform Act, the only bill to ever become law over President Clinton's veto. He was also a sponsor and leading negotiator for the Securities Litigation Uniform Standards Act, which applied his legal reforms to the states and was ultimately endorsed by the President.