Stabenow Release Broadcasting Her Vow to Strip Eli Lilly Provision from Homeland Security Bill

[2] "When the Senate reconvenes in January, one of my first orders of business will be to introduce legislation stripping the Eli Lilly provision from the Homeland Security Bill," Stabenow said today. "It certainly appears this provision was added at the last minute as a payback to a powerful political supporter, and I believe that this provision has no place in the Homeland Security bill."

[3] Stabenow made her remarks at a news conference today that was called to spotlight the special provision, which would protect drug maker Eli Lilly and Co. and other drug companies from legal claims by parents that thimerosal, a vaccine preservative that contains mercury, may have contributed to a dramatic rise in the incidence of autism being diagnosed in children.

[4] "The Senate has begun the long hard work of reviewing the entire program under which families may be compensated for injuries related to administering essential vaccines," Stabenow said. "We should, however, openly debate those issues instead of going behind closed doors and subverting the legislative process by adding special waivers for specific companies in important legislation."

[5] In addition to warping the legislative process by inserting special interest provisions in an essential piece of legislation, the House leadership also denied due process to families who wished to pursue legal claims over the potential dangers of thimerosal, Stabenow said. "Don't families and their children merit due process under the law?" Stabenow asked. "The provision approved in the Homeland Security bill would severely limit parents' ability to get justice for their children.

[6] "Instead of just creating a department to protect American families -- which it is intended to do -- this bill seems to be protecting the financial interest of a company whose CEO was in the top five for compensation in 2001, a company which posted $11.5 billion in revenue in 2001, and a company in an industry that makes higher profits than any other industry," Stabenow said.

[7] Stabenow was joined at the press conference by other strong critics of the Eli Lilly provision, including U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN). Also participating were representatives from Consumers Union, from the Mercury Policy Project -- a group devoted to raising awareness about the threat of mercury contamination -- and Lyn Redwood, the parent of an autistic child, who believes her child's autism may be linked to the use of thimerosal and who believes that manufacturers of the compound should be held accountable.