Jim Sensenbrenner: “Now, the current law, Bankruptcy Code section 523(a)(6) makes nondischargeable debts incurred by willful or malicious…”

“Now, the current law, Bankruptcy Code section 523(a)(6) makes nondischargeable debts incurred by willful or malicious injury by the debtor to another entity or to the property of another entity. That law is not changed in this bill. So if somebody trashes an abortion clinic for whatever reason and gets a civil judgment against them, that civil judgment is nondischargeable because the actions were willful and malicious. Mr. Chairman, again, I looked at this roll call when the rule was voted down to bring up the legislation that did what the gentleman wanted to do, and that was the compromise Schumer-Hyde language in last Congress's bankruptcy bill. We did what my colleague asked, and he still voted ``no.'' So I think that the arguments that have been made are really a red herring to try to defeat an overall bankruptcy reform that the House has supported overwhelmingly on many occasions since this issue first came up at least 7 years ago.”