The House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution holds a hearing at 2 p.m. today, "Can We Sue Our Way to Prosperity?: Litigation's Effect on America's Global Competitiveness." Witnesses:

• 
  Paul Hinton, Vice President, NERA Economic Consulting. Hinton has done extensive work in economic analysis of products liability, with studies of asbestos, silicone breast implants, and homebuilder liability. (Curriculum vitae)
• Charles Silver, McDonald Chair in Civil Procedure, University of Texas School of Law. (Curriculum vitae). Silver is a critic of Texas' medical liability reforms for undermining patient safety and opposes congressional efforts to pass similar federal reforms.
• John Beisner, Skadden, Arps, L.L.P. is a corporate defense counsel, co-head of Skadden's Mass Torts and Insurance Litigation Group. He focuses on the defense of purported class actions, mass tort matters and other complex civil litigation in both federal and state courts.