Bankruptcy Master: Abortion Issue Holds Up Bill On Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy Newswire

Abortion Issue Holds Up Bill On Bankruptcy
By PHILIP SHENON (NYT) 871 words
ABSTRACT - Five-year struggle in Congress to rewrite nation's bankruptcy laws by making it harder for people to escape debts is stalled over issue of abortion rights; final hurdle facing Congressional negotiators trying to resolve differences between House and Senate bankruptcy bills is provision in Senate version aimed at punishing those who harass doctors and clinics providing abortions; provision would bar abortion opponents from declaring bankruptcy to avoid paying court-imposed fines or damages that result from violent protests at abortion clinics; number of abortion foes have used bankruptcy laws in recent years for that purpose; includes Randall Terry, founder of Operation Rescue who said he wanted to avoid paying debts totaling more than $1 million to those who would use funds to promote killing of unborn; Democratic Sen Charles E Schumer, who backs legislation, and Republican Repr Henry J Hyde, who opposes it, comment; photo (M)