In response to Thom Zaremba's comments concerning the ICC's recent passage of the wired glass code change, Oregon State Senator Vicki L. Walker (D) responded as follows:

"I read with interest your posting: "Wired Glass Industry Responds to Passage of ICC Proposal." The vote Wednesday by the ICC was a clear and convincing majority...over 2/3 of the membership took a stand on behalf of the safety of America's citizens. Contrary to Mr. Zaremba's characterization, the only fatal flaw in that decision-making process is that it took so long in the making. The wired glass industry has long dominated the code-making and regulatory bodies that oversee its regulation in the marketplace. As one code official told me privately: "The wired glass industry should have been made to come before us every code cycle to justify the continued existence of the "temporary exemption" they got in 1977; it shouldn't have been the other way around." American manufacturers have been producing impact safety and fire-rated products for years, but have been unable to compete with wired glass because of their stronghold on the industry, and the exemption they have enjoyed from impact safety standards since 1977. I am not surprised the wired glass manufacturers plan on filing some complaint objecting to the vote; it would be out of character if they did not. They have continuously shown a total disregard for the health and safety of the citizens of this country and abroad. Their bottom line has been and always will be market share and the money that lines their own pockets. The need for impact safety has long taken a back seat until the father of an injured young man and his state senator said, "Enough is enough." On May 19, 2004, David met Goliath, and David won."