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Senators Murkowski and Stevens and Rep. Young Criticize Supreme Court Exxon Valdez Decision

Statement

Date: June 25, 2008
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Judicial Branch

SENATORS MURKOWSKI AND STEVENS AND REP. YOUNG CRITICIZE SUPREME COURT EXXON VALDEZ DECISION

U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Ted Stevens and Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, made the following statement today following release of the Supreme Court's Exxon Valdez decision:

"We are extremely disappointed that the Supreme Court has chosen to reduce the punitive damages amount from $2.5 billion to $507.5 million. Three times previously, lower courts have ruled on the amount of damages and the Supreme Court, in our opinion, should have allowed the $2.5 billion judgment to stand. Today's ruling adds insult to injury to the fishermen, communities and Alaska natives who have been waiting nearly 20 years for proper compensation following the worst environmental disaster in our nation's history.

"As a result of today's ruling, we are redoubling efforts to get signed into law the delegation plan to give the 33,000 victims of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill the ability to increase retirement contributions and to provide tax relief through income averaging of the individual settlement amounts."


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