SENATOR FEINGOLD: OTHERS TO TAKE UP BANKRUPTCY FIGHT IN SENATE

November 2, 2002

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Sen. Russell Feingold (D-Wis.) pledged on Thursday that Senate opponents of a pending bankruptcy reform conference report would step in to fill the void left by the death last week of Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-Minn.), who had vowed
to hold off the bill’s enactment as long as he could, CongressDaily reported. “Sen. Wellstone was a passionate opponent of the unfair bankruptcy legislation that has been pending for the past three Congresses,” Feingold said in a statement. “Paul cared about the average person in this country, and he understood how this bill will devastate hard-working American families who face financial distress,” added Feingold. “When Congress returns, those of us who share his view of this unfair bill will do all we
can to carry on his fight against it.” Sen. Feingold is one of a core group of opponents including Sens. Edward Kennedy
(D-Mass.) and Richard Durbin (D-Ill.).

A self-proclaimed champion of the “little guy,” Wellstone was a pivotal figure over the years in bucking the influential credit card industry by helping erect procedural obstacles to prevent the enactment of bankruptcy reform legislation. The bankruptcy measure is pending before the House, and
Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) has pledged to bring the legislation to the Senate floor during the upcoming lame-duck session, providing the House manages to pass it. However, opponents are hoping that just the threat of a procedural delay could be enough to knock the
bankruptcy measure off Congress’ crowded post-election schedule.