To preserve existing bankruptcy protections for individuals experiencing economic distress as caregivers to ill or disabled family members.

SA 32. Mr. CORZINE (for himself, Ms. Mikulski, and Mr. Lautenberg)
proposed an amendment to the bill S. 256, to amend title 11 of the
United States Code, and for other purposes; as follows:

On page 19, strike line 13, and insert the following:

monthly income.
``(8) No judge, United States trustee (or bankruptcy
administrator, if any), trustee, or other party in interest
may file a motion under paragraph (2) if the debtor is an
economically distressed caregiver.''.
On page 113, between lines 19 and 20, insert the following:
(4) by inserting after paragraph (14A), as added by this
Act, the following:
``(14B) `economically distressed caregiver' means a
caregiver who, in any consecutive 12-month period during the
3 years before the date of the filing of the petition--
``(A) experienced a reduction in employment for not less
than 1 month to care for a family member, including a spouse,
child, sibling, parent, grandparent, aunt, or uncle; or
``(B) who has incurred medical expenses on behalf of a
family member, including a spouse, child, sibling, parent,
grandparent, aunt, or uncle, that were not paid by any third
party payer and were in excess of the lessor of--
``(i) 25 percent of the debtor's household income for such
12-month period; or
``(ii) $10,000.''; and
(5) by inserting after paragraph (44), the following:
``(44A) `reduction in employment' means a downgrade in
employment status that correlates to a reduction in wages,
work hours, or results in unemployment.''.
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