mr. speaker , i thank the gentleman for yielding me time .  mr. speaker , i rise in strong support for this long overdue legislation .  i want to thank the chairman of the committee on the judiciary , the gentleman from wisconsin ( mr. sensenbrenner )  , for his leadership and his efforts in making this bill a reality .  it represent years of work , compromise and what i believe to be necessary reforms .  our bankruptcy laws have shifted away from what was their original purpose .  in 1915 the supreme court wrote that our bankruptcy laws were intended to give honest debtors a chance to `` start afresh , free from obligations and responsibilities consequent upon business misfortunes. '' this view was later reaffirmed in the 1934 case , local loan company v. hunt , in which the court wrote that `` the purpose of the act has been again and again emphasized by the courts in that it gives to the honest but unfortunate debtor a new opportunity in life and a clear field for future effort , unhampered by the pressure and discouragement of preexisting debt. '' over the last several decades , bankruptcy protections have expanded to cover basically anyone and everyone , not just those who truly need it .  statistics reveal that in 2004 approximately 1.5 million individuals sought bankruptcy protection .  increasingly , this protection is being sought for the consumer debt that has skyrocketed out of control as a result of the misuse of credit cards and other credit options .  this expansive coverage comes at a price .  personal bankruptcy filing cost businesses and our economy tens of billions of dollars every year .  it is basically a $ 500 per family annual tax on each and every american family .  h.r. 685 the bankruptcy abuse and consumer protection act of 2005 , the bill that is here before us today , strikes a balance .  it requires those who have the means to repay debts to do so while protecting those who truly need the assistance provided by chapter 7 , such as those with serious medical conditions , the men and women of our armed services who are on active duty , as well as those disabled veterans who served in years past .  decisions to seek the protection of bankruptcy should be taken seriously .  the consequences of filing are not just personal but impact our economy and society as a whole .  as i mentioned , it is $ 600 per family that we are essentially taxed this year for everybody who is paying their debts from those who are not .  personal filings can not continue at the current rate .  this bill represents a long overdue , much necessary first step ; and i urge my colleagues to support this legislation .  