House Sustains Veto of Liability Limits

The House on Thursday sustained President Clinton’s veto of a bill limiting legal damages for injuries from defective products.

The 258-163 vote was 23 short of the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto. Because the House failed to override, the Senate will not have to act.

The bill would have capped the punitive damages that a jury could award in cases involving faulty products. Punitive damages could not have exceeded the larger of $250,000 or twice a claimant’s compensatory damages, which are awarded for economic losses and pain and suffering.

Supporters, including major business groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Assn. of Manufacturers, said the bill was needed to limit excessive damages and discourage frivolous lawsuits.

In vetoing the bill on May 2, Clinton said it went too far in limiting the rights of injury victims to get compensation.