Press Releases

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and the bill’s chief sponsor, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers (D-Mich.), issued the following statements upon the House Judiciary Committee’s approval of the Bankruptcy Judgeship Act of 2017 (H.R. 2266) by voice vote.

Chairman Goodlatte: “While bankruptcy is never a word anyone wants to hear, the bankruptcy process is an essential part of our economy. Our bankruptcy system allows hardworking individuals and businesses large and small to use our laws to help preserve their assets and strengthen their financial future.

“An effcient bankruptcy system is essential to get hardworking Americans and businesses back on their feet, and a strained system only hampers essential beneifts our bankruptcy laws are intended to provide.

“The bipartisan Bankruptcy Judgeship Act of 2017 will create a long-term fix to the bankruptcy judicial system, and allow our bankruptcy courts to operate at a pace that can best serve the American people.”

Ranking Member Conyers: “The Bankruptcy Judgeship Act of 2017 authorizes the creation of permanent bankruptcy judgeships based on the recommendation of the Judicial Conference of the United States.

“The authorization of these additional permanent bankruptcy judgeships, including the conversion of temporary bankruptcy judgeships into permanent judgeships, will help to ensure there are adequate judicial resources and an efficient bankruptcy process.

“In particular, I am pleased that the Eastern District of Michigan will benefit from the addition of a new permanent judgeship and the conversion of a temporary judgeship to permanent status.”

Background: The Bankruptcy Judgeship Act of 2017, introduced by Chairman Goodlatte and Ranking Member Conyers, will convert 14 temporary bankruptcy judgeships to permanent status and authorize four new bankruptcy judgeships. Additionally, the Bankruptcy Judgeship Act provides for an increase in the U.S. Trustee’s Quarterly Fees for large chapter 11 cases.