Jim Sensenbrenner: “let us be clear. The means-based test only applies to people with incomes above the State median income average. Anybody…”

“let us be clear. The means-based test only applies to people with incomes above the State median income average. Anybody who is below the State median income does not qualify under the means-based test, and their bankruptcy petition cannot be thrown out. Secondly, what the motion of the gentlewoman from Illinois proposes to do is to provide an exemption for active-duty servicemembers from the means-based test. That has been taken care of in most part since 1940 under the Soldiers and Sailors Relief Act, which allows for the staying of legal proceedings against anybody who is on active duty. And I submit to the gentlewoman from Illinois and others that next year join us in voting for a defense authorization bill that gives our servicepeople a pay raise because that is the way to prevent bankruptcies to begin with. But I would also like to point out that this motion to recommit applies to anybody who is a veteran. There are a lot of veterans that would fall under this exemption that have a lot of income. Take, for example, the junior Senator from Massachusetts, Mr. Kerry. He gets the same salary that we do, and it is reported that his wife has significant assets on her own. Under the gentlewoman's motion to recommit, should Mr. Kerry end up in hard times and have to file for bankruptcy, he would not allow his creditors to be able to ask for a means-based bankruptcy to apply at least some of the Senate salary that he received to apply to his debts. That is wrong.…”