Legislative Highlights Mar 1999

<p>Senate and House leaders promise a "burst" of legislative activity following the impeachment trial, with
bankruptcy reform usually making the list of top 10 items on the possible agenda.

</p><p>The President's proposed $1.77 trillion budget includes a $25 increase in the chapter 7 and chapter 13 filing fee,
with the increased revenue earmarked for the U.S. Trustee program. The program has realized a drop in offsetting
collections from chapter 11 quarterly fees.

</p><p>Sen. Robert Torricelli (D-NJ) has been named ranking minority member of the Senate Judiciary Committee
Subcommittee on Administrative Oversight and the Courts. Sen. Torricelli's bankruptcy aide is Jennifer Leach.

</p><p>Rep. George Gekas (R-PA), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Commercial and
Administrative Law, has named Joe Rubin to be the new staff aide for bankruptcy matters. Rubin formerly
worked for Rep. Steve Chabot, a member of the subcommittee. Other subcommittee members are: Ed Bryant
(R-TN), Lindsay Graham (R-SC), Steve Buyer (R-IN), Steve Chabot (R-OH), Asa Hutchinson (R-AR), Spencer
Bachus (R-AL), Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Melvin Watt (D-NC), William Delahunt (D-MA),
Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Anthony Weiner (D-NY). Reps. Bachus, Baldwin and Weiner are new to the
subcommittee.

</p><p>The Judicial Conference's Advisory Committee on Bankruptcy Rules held a public meeting in Washington on
Jan. 28 on its proposed amendments to the bankruptcy rules, with a number of members of the bench and bar
testifying in opposition to the "Litigation Package" and other proposals. The breadth of the opposition makes it
likely that the proposals will have to be amended.