S. 2471: Medical Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2014

113th Congress · introduced 2014-06-12 · Finance and Financial Sector · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2014-06-12 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Medical Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2014

Plain summary

Medical Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2014 - Amends federal bankruptcy law to cite circumstances under which a medically distressed debtor may elect to exempt from the property of the estate in bankruptcy up to $250,000 of the debtor's aggregate interest in: (1) specified real or personal property that the debtor (or debtor's dependent) uses as a residence, (2) a cooperative that owns the property used as a residence by the debtor or a dependent of the debtor, or (3) a burial plot for the debtor or debtor's dependent. Applies the same election to certain other property of a medically distressed debtor, including certain retirement funds held in a tax-exempt account. Declares inapplicable to a medically distressed debtor: (1) certain presumptions that granting relief under Chapter 7 would constitute abuse of Chapter 7, and (2) mandatory court disapproval of a debtor's plan under chapter 13 upon objection by the trustee or the holder of an allowed unsecured claim. Waives the credit counseling prerequisite for filing for debt relief in the case of a medically distressed debtor. Permits a medically distressed debtor to discharge in bankruptcy debts for certain educational loans. Requires a debtor who seeks relief as a medically distressed debtor to attest in writing, and under penalty of perjury, that debtor's medical expenses are genuine, and are not specifically incurred to bring the debtor within the meaning of "medically distressed debtor."

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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A “Yea” vote

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A “Nay” vote

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Medical Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2014

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI] reported raising $652,856 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)

Exemption: A rule that removes certain people, property or activities from a tax or requirement.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-113s2471.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/113/s>

Record fed-us-cong113-s2471 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong113 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong113