mr. speaker , i rise today in support of the bankruptcy abuse prevention and consumer protection act of 2005 .  i came to congress to promote the ideals of freedom , security and prosperity .  embodied within these principles is the duty of the american people to take responsibility for their actions -- including control of one 's personal finances and investments -- without undue influence from the federal government .  under current law , bankruptcy protection has increasingly become a first stop rather than a last resort .  our credit markets have been undermined on a daily basis because of the abuse of the existing laws .  all too often , people run to the shelter of bankruptcy to escape the consequences of their actions , all to the detriment of the rest of society .  that is fundamentally wrong .  mr. speaker , the bankruptcy abuse prevention and consumer protection act reforms existing bankruptcy law to stem the rise in bankruptcy abuse while maintaining its protections for those who really need them .  the act places compassionate , coherent , and common-sense reforms on the current system .  it ensures that frivolous costs are no longer unfairly passed on to american families .  mr. speaker , as a supporter of the bankruptcy abuse prevention and consumer protection act , i encourage my colleagues to vote for this well-balanced measure that will protect those individuals who need a fresh start while cracking down on abuse of the system .  