Citizen tries to 'tell truth' to capital on malpractice cap dangers

Oregonian
Tuesday, March 29, 2005

 
If you were making a movie of his story, you'd be tempted to call it "Mr. Unger Goes to Washington." Of course, actor Jimmy Stewart called himself Mr. Smith and made the movie first.
But similarities abound between that classic film and recent events in the life of Mark Unger, a resident of Eagle Point in Southern Oregon. Mark traveled to our nation's capital last month to, as he puts it, "just tell the truth and try to make a difference."
Mark's story first ran in this column seven weeks ago, just before his trip. Mark didn't know what kind of reception he'd get in the capital, although he was hoping to talk to President Bush.
That wasn't going to happen.
Mark is on a personal campaign to try to stop two federal bills, HR534 and Senate Bill 354, proposed by the President and supported by Republicans. Either bill would cap awards for pain-and-suffering damages in malpractice cases at $250,000.
Mark is dead set against any cap on pain-and-suffering damages, even though he is a "lifelong and loyal Republican."

But the U.S. House of Representatives will vote on its pain-and-suffering cap bill soon, and then the issue will move to the Senate.
Mark's trip was put together by the Center for Justice and Democracy. Mark and others from across the nation traveled to Washington to talk to politicians and the media.
For a copy of the complete article, contact CJ&D

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