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While the majority of Americans believe, that given the funky economy and rising unemployment, this is not the time to make personal bankruptcy laws more restrictive, the march to bankruptcy reform is stronger than ever. Last week, the U.S. House named the primary conferees to serve on the House-Senate conference committee working to reconcile the House and Senate versions of H.R. 333, the Bankruptcy Reform Act. Last month, the U.S. Senate picked its conferees and agreed to substitute the language of a pending House bankruptcy reform bill with that of the Senate-passed version (S.420). President Bush has indicated he will sign the bankruptcy reform legislation but he strongly opposes the Senate-passed language regarding the homestead exemption. According to poll conducted by CardWeb.com, nearly two out of three respondents say this is not the time to reform bankruptcy laws. However more than six out of ten believe bankrupt consumers should be forced to pony up for some of their debts if they have a good income. In response to the question: "Should there be a limit on the amount of home equity a bankrupt consumer can exempt in a bankruptcy filing?', 55% said yes. Nearly three out of four consumers believe banks will not pass on the savings realized from bankruptcy reform to consumers by means of lower rates or fees. The U.S. Senate conferees are: Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Joseph Biden (D-DE), Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Herb Kohl (D-WI), Russell Feingold (D-WI), Charles Schumer, (D-NY), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Charles Grassley (R-IA), Jon Kyl (R-AZ), Mike DeWine (R-OH), Jeff Sessions (R-AL), and Mitch McConnell (R-KY). The House-named members include James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), John Conyers (D-MI), Bob Barr (R-GA), Melvin Watt (D-NC), Henry Hyde (R-IL), George Gekas (R-PA), Lamar Smith (R-TX), Steve Chabot (R-OH), Rick Boucher (D-VA) and Jerrold Nadler (D-NY).
