Chris Dodd: “the Association for Children for Enforcement of Support is supporting this amendment and opposes the legislation. The…”

“the Association for Children for Enforcement of Support is supporting this amendment and opposes the legislation. The American Association of University Women, American Medical Women's Association, the Business and Professional Women of the United States, the Center for Law and Social Policy, the Center for the Childcare Workforce, Child Welfare League of America, the National Council of Jewish Women, the National Organization for Women, the National Partnership for Women and Families, the YWCA of the United States--all are groups which support the amendment and oppose this legislation. Again, I realize the hour is late. We are getting closer to passage of this bill. I don't think it is so late, however, not to try to make some modest changes in this legislation that I think would go a long way to providing some relief for families. Again, this is one of the areas of law that is written into our Constitution. Article I, section 8 of the U.S. Constitution, drafted back in the 18th century, specifically provided and called upon the Congress of the United States to enact bankruptcy laws. To understand why they did so, go back and look at the Federalist Papers. They talked about doing it as an opportunity for people to get back on their feet again. That was the idea--to see to it that creditors could be compensated to the maximum extent possible, but that also those filing for bankruptcy would begin a new chapter in their lives, to get on their feet again.”