SEN. WELLSTONE TO FILIBUSTER BANKRUPTCY CONFERENCE

June 19, 2001

Return To Archives

Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-Minn.), who opposes the pending bankruptcy reform measure (S. 420/H.R. 333), intends to filibuster the six debatable motions — including two that are fully amendable — that will have to be cleared in the process of appointing Senate conferees, according to Congress Daily, as reported by the American Bankruptcy Institute. “That’s a major series of hurdles for this bill, and Sen. Wellstone will object to any of those motions,” a Wellstone spokesman said on Monday.

“This is still a bad bill for consumers and working families and seniors with medical bills — all serious problems which have never been answered by proponents and we don’t suppose will be in conference. We’re going to try to kill this bill.”

Citing both substantive and “blue slip” issues raised by the Senate bankruptcy measure, House GOP leaders rejected bill proponents’ pleas earlier this month to take up the Senate bill that was approved in March. However, in throwing the ball back into the Senate’s court, House leaders appear to have subjected the bill to the same procedural obstacles that prevented the Senate from obtaining consent three months ago to go to conference.

Objections raised by Wellstone at the time of the Senate bill’s passage prevented the chamber from approving the text of the Senate bankruptcy measure under the House-passed bill number. The House and Senate bills must have the same number to be sent to conference. According to Congress Daily, Wellstone’s objections and the fact that the Senate has yet to approve an organizing resolution and is about to begin debate on health care legislation mean any discussion of a bankruptcy conference will not begin until after the July 4 recess.

Bankruptcy bill proponents are watching to see if Senate Democratic leaders will appoint Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del.), one of the bill’s strongest defenders, to the conference committee. “The perception is that if Biden is left out, it will kill the bill,” one lobbyist told Congress Daily. “The key is going to be Biden. If he’s not on there, the conference goes from difficult to impossible.”