Washington, DC, April 20--Sen. Arlen Specter said he would introduce legislation for a $140 billion U.S. asbestos compensation fund on Tuesday, despite objection to some aspects of the plan by fellow Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
"I will file a bill today," Specter, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, told reporters after a meeting with Republican panel members. "I expect the core provisions to stay the same." The Pennsylvania Republican hoped the panel's ranking Democrat, Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, would join him as a co-sponsor.
Specter said he planned a meeting with dissatisfied Republicans and Sen. Leahy to resolve the remaining differences. He then hoped to have a committee vote on the proposal on April 28.