The U.S. Senate on Monday began debate on a controversial bill to overhaul bankruptcy law and make it harder for consumers to abandon their debts without paying some of the bill.
But the legislation, which has come close to passage many times in recent years, is far from a done deal as Democrats plan to push numerous amendments, including a provision to prevent anti-abortion protesters from citing bankruptcy to avoid paying court-ordered fines for protest activities.
That amendment left the bill languishing last year, and some Democrats have said they will fight any bankruptcy legislation that does not include the provision this year.
“This bill shouldn’t pass in its current form,” Massachusetts Democrat Sen. Edward Kennedy told reporters on Monday.
The heart of the legislation is a means test, supported by credit card companies, that would determine if people filing bankruptcy earn enough to pay off some of their debt.
For this complete story, please visit US Senate Weighs Bankruptcy Reform Law.
