President Bush wasted little time as he signed the bill passed by Congress just yesterday that places limits on class action lawsuits. Bush claimed the legislation was aimed at 'ending the lawsuit culture in our country.'

The new law restricts class action lawsuits to federal courts unless one-third of the plaintiffs and the defendant are in the same state. Also, it places limits on attorneys fees, especially in cases where the plaintiffs are receiving non-monetary compensation such as coupons or vouchers.

The president said that the new law will cut down on frivolous class action suits that cost companies a lot of money to defend whether they win or lose.

Critics of the law say that it will make court cases tougher for the average citizen who is injured or killed by corporations who committed acts of fraud or negligence.

Congressman John Conyers, Jr., a Maryland Democrat argued that, 'This is not a simple procedural fix. Moving the cases to federal court will result in many cases never being heard.'

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called the new law a 'payback for big business at the expense of consumers.'

The president said he had just begun his case for legal reform. 'There's more to do,' Bush said. 'I'm confident that this bill will be the first of many bipartisan achievements in the year 2005.'

Among the remaining targets Bush cited were medical malpractice lawsuits and asbestos cases which he felt needed to be reduced.