09-25-1999

BANKRUPTCY: Senate Republicans Come Up Bankrupt

The Senate failed this week to quash a Democratic filibuster against
bankruptcy reform legislation, which is bad news for one of the few
remaining substantive items on the GOP's agenda. On a party line vote,
with one Senator voting present, Democrats on Sept. 21 blocked Republicans
from moving to final consideration of the bill on the grounds they were
being barred from offering amendments dealing with the minimum wage and
farm aid. Most observers agree that the bankruptcy bill--which would make
it harder for people declaring bankruptcy to get out of paying certain
debts--would easily prevail on an up-or-down vote. Whether the legislation
will be resurrected this year remains uncertain: Senate Majority Leader
Trent Lott, R-Miss., has hinted the fight may have to carry over into
2000. A somewhat more-stringent bankruptcy bill approved by the House in
May faces a veto threat.


Pamela Barnett/CongressDaily

National Journal