S. 3385: Medical Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2016

114th Congress · introduced 2016-09-22 · 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 2016-09-22 · 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 2016

Plain summary

Medical Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2016 This bill amends federal bankruptcy law to allow a medically distressed debtor 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 such property, or (3) a burial plot for the debtor or debtor's dependent. With respect to a medically distressed debtor, the bill waives certain administrative and procedural requirements. In addition, the bill allows a medically distressed debtor to discharge in bankruptcy debts for certain educational loans. A debtor who seeks relief as a medically distressed debtor must attest in writing, under penalty of perjury, that the debtor's medical expenses are genuine and were 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

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Medical Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2016

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 (2)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
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-114s3385.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/s>

Record fed-us-cong114-s3385 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114