What's the next step with the Bankruptcy "reform" bill?

[merh]

Please explain to me what happens now?

[Mojambo]

1. Doesn't it go to Bush to be signed now? n/t

[merh]

3. I don't know - if that is the next step, is it effective immediately

or is there a date that it becomes effective?

[punpirate]

4. Companion bill in the House...

... has yet to be voted upon, I think, but it's expected to pass by a safe margin. Once that has passed (maybe already), the variations in the bill will be resolved in conference committee, then a vote is taken on the final bill by both houses.

[merh]

8. So we can still voice our concerns to both our senators and

reps, right?

My reps are better than my senators, they might pay attention to my complaints.

[punpirate]

22. Sure...

... but the House vote on a previous version was something like 311-133 in favor. Unless DeLay and Hastert do something really stupid, like sticking in an amendment during conference which no one will be able to live with, it's pretty much a done deal.... *sigh*

[merh]

26. Here is the link to the House's contact page

that gives links to the representatives websites!

http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.shtml


I can't find the link yet in 2004 elections, but I am still looking.

[Emboldened Chimp]

2. I thought it went back to the House for conference...

...then goes to Asshat.

[merh]

5. Can the House kill it?

:shrug:

If so, do we need to start blasting those buggers?

[Emboldened Chimp]

6. They could, yes, but we all know they won't.

[punpirate]

14. With a Republican majority?

Nope, and, I think, the House has different rules on filibustering. It's a done deal now. :(

[merh]

16. When it comes out of conference, do they vote again?

Once it makes it out of conference, do both the senate and the house have to vote again or does it just go to the boy blunder?

[punpirate]

19. Yes, the joint bill has to be voted upon...

... if there are any changes made in the two versions. I think there are slight differences between the two bills, but they are minor enough that those won't cause any real debate. My worry, as always, with DeLay and Hastert around is that they will insert new amendments at the last moment so no one has the chance to read them and will force an immediate vote. This has been going on so frequently that I've come to expect it.

[merh]

25. Thank you for the information.

I am going to start writing more letters and faxing them. (They hate faxes, messy little nuisances that they are.)

[Enquiringkitty]

21. Yes! Fill up their emails and answering machines. Tell them that

they will have to face the ramifications of their votes in the next elections. If the side with corporations over us, then update that resume because they are looking for another job...."You're Fired"!

We give these people their jobs and the food in their mouths...I won't feed the mouth that bites me.

[imenja]

7. Let's organize a call-in

A day when everyone calls into our representatives, both House and Senate, and tells them how fed up we are with this. We can also send faxes. Emails aren't good enough, because we need to jam up the phone lines. How about this Tuesday?

[merh]

10. Count me in - we got their attention on the 6th of January,

why not do the same thing on Tuesday! We called them so much before the electoral college vote, the 800 number supplied to them by lobbyists that we used has since been disconnected.

[imenja]

12. great! Let's spread the word

[merh]

13. I will post a thread in 2004 elections (they like to be active)

I'll find the contact numbers we used in January.

[imenja]

27. Did you post something?

I will post a thread as well, but we should coordinate on the details, phone numbers, etc...

[merh]

29. Posted late, but better late than never!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x342030

[imenja]

28. see this thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1653304&mesg_id=1653304

[merh]

31. Let's just keep this alive!

eom

[Enquiringkitty]

23. I'll do it!!

[DebJ]

9. It goes to the House. I asked Rep Platts office last week about

this. And now someone posted on DU I believe just yesterday or today that the New Democrats in the House are begging to have the vote scheduled as early as possible. New Democrats sound as good as New Coke.

[merh]

11. We have to try - we can't let them vote on this without hearing

from us.

[DebJ]

17. and they need to hear from us AFTER the vote as well

[merh]

18. Definitely - Reid needs to hear from every member of the

democratic party! We need to get Howard Dean screaming about this!

[DebJ]

20. I think I should do two form letters, one for the yeas, one for the

nays, and send to all 39 Senators per their votes.

After I get myself under control.

[merh]

24. That is a great idea!

I think I will do the same.

[Liberty Belle]

30. Please e-mail your letters to me at [e-mail].

I'm Media Chair for DFA in San Diego. I coordinate efforts with PDA and other progressive groups. So a good sample letter will reach thousands of folks.

[merh]

32. I am not sure what you mean.

You want copies of our letters or a form letter that others can use?
Please let me know.

FYI

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=3255152&mesg_id=3255152

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3255152

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1653304

[Liberty Belle]

36. A form letter would be great.

[merh]

37. Will this help? I am preparing this flyer to be handed out this

weekend at various places (churches, gatherings etc). I have included the addresses for our state representatives in my flyer to make it easier on folks.

Protest the Bankruptcy Reform Bill

The Bankruptcy Reform legislation being considered in Congress will make it harder for low- and moderate-income individuals to get out of debt even when blind sided by sickness, divorce, or job loss. These are the very times when people are most vulnerable to credit card companies' pitches to rack up debt.

Congress is considering this legislation because the big banks and credit card companies have contributed more than $101 million to federal candidates and party committees over the last six years (a Senate cycle). Of that, 36% went to Democrats and 64% went to Republicans.

On Tuesday, March 15, 2005, there will be a Call-in to Protest the Bankruptcy Reform bill. We flooded the switchboards in December and January demanding that senators and representatives stand with Representative Conyers and oppose the certification of Ohio's votes. So many calls were made and so many faxes sent that the "800" that was once supplied to congress by the lobbyists was disconnected and debate was had on the election fraud and disenfranchisement that took place on November 2, 2004.

Well, let's flood the switchboards of the House, Senate, and White House with calls letting them know that "we're mad as hell and we aren't going to take it anymore."

Send faxes and emails, send letters, let them know that WE THE PEOPLE don’t appreciate the fact that they are voting for corporations and businesses over the rights and needs of the citizens.

Demand your representatives represent the people and not the corporations.

Date: ______________

Dear Representative/Congressman_____________:

I urge you to oppose the bankruptcy bill underwritten by the credit card industry's campaign contributions. This legislation -- S. 256 -- is one big payoff to the big banks and credit card companies, which, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, have contributed more than $101 million to federal candidates and party committees in the last three elections. It will hurt low and moderate income Americans who have found themselves in difficult financial circumstances. Indeed, nine out of ten families filing for bankruptcy do so because of job loss, medical problems, divorce, or separation.

How can you ask the citizens to be responsible with their personal debts when you are not responsible with our national debts? Isn’t that rather hypocritical? Our national debt is huge, what would you do if our government was held to the same harsh standards that you are allowing the credit card companies to hold the citizens to under this legislation?

Our political system is drowning in debt to wealthy donors. I urge you to oppose this big money legislation.

Please support the people and not the corporations. Stop this bill, do not let it become law.

Sincerely,



__________________________
Name
Address
__________________________
__________________________

This link has proposed letters and link to a petition.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=3220253

Hope this helps.

[Liberty Belle]

39. Thank you for the flyer and list of turncoat Dems.

This is helpful.

I heard on Air America a description of some amendments DEMS tried to pass, but of course the selfish Republicans voted the amendments down. One would've exempted people facing bankruptcy due to a medical crisis. Worse, the Repugs even voted down an amendment to exempt disabled veterans in cases where the bankruptcy was caused by a disability resulting from their military service!

So much for supporting our troops.

[merh]

40. I'm glad this will help. I have read some of the amendments

and I just can't believe the repugs and these turn coat dems would care more about the corporations than the disabled. When they meet their maker they will definitely have to answer for their greed and evil.

[merh]

38. I think you might find this interesting.

NEW DEMOCRAT COALITION in the House - letter to Hastert

The Honorable J. Dennis Hastert
Speaker
U.S. House of Representatives
H-232, The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Mr. Speaker:

We write to encourage you to bring bankruptcy reform legislation to the House floor as soon as the Senate completes its consideration of the bill. The New Democrat Coalition has backed common sense bankruptcy reform in the past and helped in passing the bankruptcy reform bill by overwhelming margins in the House of Representatives during the 108th Congress.

Over the last several years, we have worked to advance reasonable and balanced legislation that would require individuals who have the ability to repay their debts to do so, while preserving the important safety net of bankruptcy under Chapter 7 for those who truly need it. We believe that responsible bankruptcy reform embodies the New Democrat principle of personal responsibility, while at the same time adding important new consumer protections such as requiring enhanced credit card disclosure information and encouraging participation in consumer credit counseling.

It is our hope that the House of Representatives will consider this important piece of legislation in an expedited manner. We stand ready to work with you and our colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass bankruptcy reform into law.

Sincerely,

Rep. Ellen O. Tauscher
Rep. Adam Smith
Rep. Ron Kind
Rep. Artur Davis
Rep. Carolyn McCarthy
Rep. John Larson
Rep. Stephanie Herseth
Rep. Dennis Moore
Rep. Mike McIntyre
Rep. Joe Crowley
Rep. Jay Israel
Rep. David Wu
Rep. Diane Hooley
Rep. Melissa Bean
Rep. Jim Davis
Rep. Harold E. Ford, Jr.
Rep. Ed Case
Rep. Jay Inslee
Rep. Shelley Berkeley
Rep. Gregory W. Meeks

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/3/8/202044/7026

These turncoats need to be called out on this! They need to be told that this legislation is not consistent with the values of the DEMOCRATIC PARTY. The people over the corporations should be their motto!

[realFedUp]

34. The Doc is going to have a problem now

I love Howard and want him to do well,
but honestly I can't support anyone who
voted for this bill yesterday and that
goes for anyone in the House also.

I don't know what to say....it was that
much of a marker for me. I won't give
the DNC money willy nilly now...I will
give individual campaigns money.

Harry Reid made a big mistake IMO. This
bill was so anti-people and it could
have made a drastic contrast between
Dems and Republicans, but that opportunity
is moot now.

Stop the world, I really want to get off.

[Why Syzygy]

15. It's in the system

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=aUPGodi9o4BQ&refer=top_world_news

The legislation, part of President George W. Bush's pro- business revisions to the legal system, was passed in the Senate and sent to the House of Representatives, where leaders say a vote on final passage may come as early as next month.

......
http://www.reuters.com/financeNewsArticle.jhtml?type=bondsNews&storyID=7871307

The stiffening of bankruptcy rules sought by business was passed on a vote of 74-25. It now heads to the House of Representatives where leaders hope to act on it next month and send it to President George W. Bush for signing into law.

Lenders such as credit card companies and retailers have lobbied for the bankruptcy changes for years, arguing it is too easy for people to walk away from their debts.

......

They don't know how to write a decent LAW!
Man, jumping through hoops must get tiresome after awhile. You would think?

[realFedUp]

33. Our blogs are relatively silent on this vote yesterday

I don't think I'm feeling enraged about
this bill for no reason but the relative
silence about the 18 Dem Senators who
voted for this yesterday is deafening.

Shall we remind them which Dems actually voted
for this piece o crap bill....

Baucus
Bayh
Biden
Bingaman
Byrd
Carper
Conrad
Inouye
Johnson
Kohl
Landrieu
Lincoln
both Nelsons
Pryor
Reid
Salazar
Stabenow

Jeffords-I

Not voting: Clinton (good thing she had an excuse)

[OneTwentyoNine]

35. Next step is to form your own corporation,get credit cards for the corp...

Run up thousands in debt,stay in 5 star hotels,vacation in Hawaii and then walk away like the big boys do on a daily basis.

They can't touch ONE PENNY of your personal assets,just corporation assets. This bill is all about deadbeats but I've never heard the deadbeats of the corporate world brought up.

Hell we have a real estate developer right here in Wichita who's been bankrupt at least twice,maybe three times and is a millionaire many times over. He screwed the company my dad used to work for--PPG Industries out of thousands over 20 years ago. Talk about a deadbeat,but he has always had the luxury of hiding behind the corporate wall which protects guys like him and their millions in assets.