Abortion-protest clause sends bankruptcy bill down in defeat
WASHINGTON — Legislation intended to make it harder for people to erase their debts in bankruptcy court died Thursday in the House, scuttled by a dispute over how the law would apply to fines against abortion protesters.
Conservative Republicans turned against their House leaders, President Bush and their business and banking contributors in rejecting the legislation, which they feared would curtail abortion protesting.
Many Democrats also opposed the bill on grounds it would hurt poor working people.
It was the second time House leaders failed to bring up a House-Senate bankruptcy compromise favored by the Senate and the White House.
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