A White House-backed bill to replace the current litigation-based system for compensating victims of asbestos-related diseases was removed from the US Senate's agenda after it failed to attract enough support.
The Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolutions (FAIR) Act received only 50 of the 60 votes needed to invoke cloture, a parliamentary procedure that limits debate and heads off filibusters, said a report.
The Bill was subsequently removed from the agenda.
The FAIR Act would have created a $114bn trust fund paid for by defendant companies and their insurers to compensate victims of asbestos-related diseases who meet specific medical criteria.
The Bill had drawn criticism from insurers and employers for leaving open the possibility that cases would revert to court if the fund were depleted.
According to the report, the White House had only formally backed the bill on Monday, but had expressed concerns about unspecific provisions.
