mr. speaker , we have before us today a bill that provides a safety net for people who have lost a job , had health problems , or served in the military and can not repay their debts .  it gives them the opportunity for a fresh start while continuing to hold accountable those who are able to repay their debts .  bankruptcy abuse represents a `` hidden tax '' on the american people .  when businesses have to raise the cost of their products due to unpaid liabilities , that cost is passed unfairly to all of us .  when people file for bankruptcy and cancel out their debts , small businesses suffer major financial setbacks .  bankruptcy to a small business triggers a change in its bottom line .  a smaller bottom line means less money to pay employees , which leads to job cuts -- something nobody would like to talk about , and certainly nobody would like to encourage .  this legislation will modernize the system and make it more difficult to hide behind the protections of filing for bankruptcy .  with this bill we will lessen the impact of the unpaid debt that is a hindrance to thousands of businesses and hurts our ability to create jobs .  