1.   A product liability bill so ridiculously skewed toward the side of business that even Senate Republicans concede it will have to be watered down.

2.   Consumer advocate Ralph Nader attacks Democratic Sens. Chris Dodd and Joe Lieberman for their product liability bill, which Nader says will jeopardize consumer health and safety.

3.   Gorton and Rockefeller were chief sponsors of the bipartisan product liability bill vetoed last year by President Bill Clinton.

4.   He and Sen. Slade Gorton, R-Wash., are chief sponsors of the product liability bill.

5.   He said he had opposed trial lawyers, a source of Democratic money, during a debate over a product liability bill, and he defended his own independence.

6.   HMO industry spokespeople said it was disappointed with the liability bill because of last-minute amendments.

7.   In addition the Democrats are filibustering a product liability bill sought by Republicans and attacking the GOP for failing to pass funding for education and the International Monetary Fund.

8.   Last session, the two groups agreed to a products liability bill and to legislation limiting out-of-state lawsuits filed in Texas.

9.   Lautenberg, who released their letter at a Capitol Hill news conference, said his measure would specifically exclude the tobacco industry from protections under the product liability bill.

10.   Liability shield bills have been unsuccessful in Kansas and Missouri.