,,ii  #aaf? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #fce  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!       
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,febru>y #bh1 #bjai,mr4
 ,leahy 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,blum5?al1 ,mr4
 ,durb91 ,mr4 ,:iteh\se1 ,mr4 ,m>key1   
,ms4 ,hirono1 & ,mr4 ,coons7 introduc$ !
 foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ 
to ! ,committee on ! ,judici>y  ,a      
,,bill  ,to re/ore /atutory rights to ! 
p ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates f =c$ arbitration4  
#a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z 
! ,re/or+ ,/atutory ,rights & ,int]e/s (
 ! ,/ates ,act ( #bjai4  #b4 ,f9d+s &   
int5t  7a7 ,f9d+s ,congress f9ds !      
foll[+3  7#a7 ,*apt] #a ( title #i1     
,unit$ ,/ates ,code 7commonly kn[n z !  
,f$]al ,arbitration ,act71 repres5t$ an 
ex]cise ( legislative p[] t requir$     
c\rts to recognize private volunt>y     
agreem5ts to arbitrate comm]cial        
disputes at a "t :5 ! c\rts 7 refus+ to 
d s on gr\nds t arbitration repres5t$ a 
usurpation ( ! au?ority ( ! c\rts to    
resolve legal disputes4  7#b7 ,! ,f$]al 
,arbitration ,act did n1 & %\ld n h be5 

int]pret$ to1 supplant or nullify !     
legislatively creat$ rights & rem$ies t 
,congress1 ex]cis+ its p[] "u article ,i
 ( ! ,con/itution ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 has
 grant$ to ! p ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates =      
resolv+ disputes 9 ,/ate & ,f$]al c\rts4
  7#c7 ,rec5t c\rt decisions1 includ+   
,,at,t ,mobility ,,llc v4 ,concepcion1  
#efc ,u4,s4 #ccc 7#bjaa7 & ,am]ican     
,express ,co4 v4 ,italian ,colors       
,re/aurant1 #acc ,s4 ,ct4 #bcjd 7#bjac71
 h int]pret$ ! ,f$]al ,arbitration ,act 
to broadly preempt rights & rem$ies     
e/abli%$ "u sub/antive ,/ate & ,f$]al   
law4 ,z a result1 ^! decisions h enabl$ 
bus9ess entities to avoid or nullify    
legal duties creat$ by congressional    
enactm5t1 result+ 9 millions ( p 9 !    
,unit$ ,/ates be+ unable to v9dicate _! 
rights 9 ,/ate & ,f$]al c\rts4  7#d7    
,/ates h a compell+ int]e/ 9 enact+     
rights & rem$ies to protect ! welf>e (  
_! citiz5s1 & ! ,f$]al ,arbitration ,act
 %\ld n be1 & %\ld n h be51 int]pret$ to
 preempt ,/ate legislation t enact$     

rights & rem$ies to protect ! welf>e (  
_! citiz5s4  7b7 ,int5t ( ,congress ,9  
enact+ ?is ,act1 x is ! int5t (         
,congress-- 7#a7 to re/ate & re9/itute !
 primacy ( congressional & ,/ate        
legislative bodies z ! creators ( !     
rights & rem$ies available to all ! p ( 
! ,unit$ ,/ates2  7#b7 to cl>ify t      
congressionally e/abli%$ rights &       
rem$ies may n be waiv$ prior to !       
in/itution ( a dispute by ! p>ty int5d$ 
to be protect$ by su* /atute2 &  7#c7 to
 re9/ate & reaffirm exi/+ rights &      
rem$ies ( ! p ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates enact$  
s9ce ! enactm5t ( ! ,f$]al ,arbitration 
,act reg>d+ access to ! c\rts t h1 or   
may h be51 abrogat$ or dim9i%$4  #c4    
,arbitration ( ,f$]al /atutory causes ( 
action  7a7 ,adjudication ( ,f$]al      
/atutory rights ( action ,section #b (  
title #i1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is       
am5d$-- 7#a7 by /rik+ ,a writt5 & ins]t+
 7a7 ,9 g5]al4--,except z provid$ 9     
subsection 7b71 a writt52 &  7#b7 by    
add+ at ! end ! foll[+3  7b7 ,exception 

,subsection 7a7 %all n apply to a writt5
 provision t requires arbitration ( a   
claim = damages or injunctive relief    
br\ght by an individual or small bus9ess
 conc]n 7z def9$ 9 section #c ( ! ,small
 ,bus9ess ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fcb771 9 
ei!r an individual or repres5tative     
capacity1 aris+ f ! alleg$ violation ( a
 ,f$]al or ,/ate /atute1 ! ,con/itution 
( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 or a con/itution ( a 
,/ate1 unless ! writt5 agreem5t to      
arbitrate is ent]$ into by bo? p>ties   
aft] ! claim has aris5 & p]ta9s solely  
to an exi/+ claim4  7c7 ,int]action )   
,/ate law ,9 subsection 7a71 ! t]m      
gr\nds z exi/ at law or 9 equity = !    
revocation ( a contract includes a      
,f$]al or ,/ate /atute1 or ! f9d+ ( a   
,f$]al or ,/ate c\rt1 t prohibits !     
agreem5t to arbitrate on gr\nds t !     
agreem5t is unconscionable1 invalid     
because !re 0 no meet+ ( ! m9ds1 or     
o!rwise un5=ceable z a matt] ( contract 
law or public policy4  7d7 ,validity &  
en=ceability ,a det]m9ation z to :e!r   

?is *apt] applies to an agreem5t to     
arbitrate %all be made by a c\rt1 r ?an 
an arbitrator1 irrespective ( :e!r !    
p>ty resi/+ arbitration *all5ges !      
agreem5t to arbitrate specifically or 9 
conjunction ) o!r t]ms ( ! contract     
conta9+ su* agreem5t4  4  #d4 ,vacat+ an
 aw>d made 9 violation ( section #b (   
title #i1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code ,section  
#aj7;a7 ( title #i1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1
 is am5d$-- 7#a7 9 p>agraph 7#c71 by    
/rik+ or at ! end2  7#b7 9 p>agraph     
7#d71 by /rik+ ! p]iod at ! end & ins]t+
 2 or2 &  7#c7 by add+ at ! end !       
foll[+3  7#e7 :]e ! arbitration took    
place 9 violation ( section #b4  4  #e4 
,applicability ,?is ,act1 & ! am5dm5ts  
made by ?is ,act1 %all apply ) respect  
to any dispute or claim t arises on or  
aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act4