Asbestos bill, including Libby funds, advances

WASHINGTON – Legislation that would compensate some Libby, Mont., residents sickened by asbestos poisoning moved forward Tuesday as Senate Democratic leaders removed their objections to holding a debate on the bill.

The Montana provision is included in a larger asbestos bill that the Senate will now debate on the floor this week. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., objected Monday to allowing a vote on the larger bill. But he lifted his objections Tuesday, making clear he still opposes the legislation.

The Libby language, authored by Montana Sen. Max Baucus, a Democrat, would pay current and former Libby-area residents who have asbestos-related diseases up to $1.1 million each.

About 200 deaths and many more cases of asbestos-related disease have been blamed on asbestos contamination associated with Libby’s vermiculite mine, which was operated by W.R. Grace & Co. and closed in 1990.

Baucus and Montana Sen. Conrad Burns have been pushing the bill’s authors to include an additional test to determine which Libby residents would be eligible for the compensation.