NACBA in Congress

NACBA serves as the voice for debtors' attorneys and their clients in the U.S. Congress. NACBA’S  NACBA’s team of legislative advocates in Washington works with a coalition of allies who often join in our efforts, including organizations representing working families, women and children, the civil rights community, consumer groups, and others interested in preserving fair and balanced bankruptcy laws.

Recognizing the importance of the news media in shaping public opinion and the opinions of lawmakers, NACBA also serves as the central clearinghouse for media requests regarding consumer bankruptcy issues and proactively carries out public awareness campaigns. In addition, NACBA serves as a resource for members in their own outreach to local media.

		• Read the 04/12/07 Press Release • Joint “Call to Action” for Congress
		• NACBA survey of bankruptcy attorneys
		• Audio of the April 12, 2007 news event.

Call for Congressional Action

On April 12, 200, NACBA, the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) and the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL)  issued a joint Call to Action, calling on Congress to change bankruptcy laws to help hundreds of thousands of American families struggling with abusive subprime mortgages escape foreclosure and the loss of up to $164 billion in home-based wealth.

Nacba President Testifies Before Congressional Committee

NACBA President Henry Sommer testified ON May 1, 2007, before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law on “The Second Anniversary of the Enactment of the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act.”  In addition to considering the impact of the 2005 amendments, the hearing provided a valuable forum in which to promote the proposals made by NACBA and other consumer groups to deal with the mortgage foreclosure crisis through expanding chapter 13 debtors’ rights.

Nacba Members Meet With Members Of U.S. Congress

NACBA Members join together annually in Washington for Capitol Hill Day to meet with their Congress members and senators.  This year, NACBA members who participated in the Capitol Hill Meeting on February 5-6, 2007, found the halls of Congress this year to be much more receptive to the NACBA agenda than in recent years.  40+ NACBA members from 25 states held more than 100 meetings with Representatives and Senators and their staffs.  On Day 1, NACBA members attended an extensive training session, covering how to have an effective meeting with a member of Congress and articulate NACBA’s legislative objectives and priorities for the 110th Congress and the importance of staying on-message.  NACBA’s Legislative Committee worked with Legislative Director Maureen Thompson to coordinate the event, including setting up the many NACBA-member meetings with their Congress members and senators, crafting our key message, and arranging for veteran Washington insiders to speak at the training sessions.