Family Farmer Bankruptcy Relief Act of 2003
Public Law 108-73 · H.R. 2465 · 108th Congress · began in the House
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Aug 15, 2003 · Finance and Financial Sector
Sponsor: Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI-5)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseRecorded vote: 379 yea, 3 nay379–3
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Family Farmer Bankruptcy Relief Act of 2003 - Amends the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1999, as amended, to extend until January 1, 2004, the reenactment of chapter 12 of the Federal Bankruptcy Code (Adjustment of Debts of a Family Farmer with Regular Annual Income) (thereby extending family farmer bankruptcy relief).
Makes this Act effective as of July 1, 2003 (the previous expiration date).
Who voted for it
Every House member of the 108th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 379 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
379 yea3 nay53 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(180)
Rep. Jim McDermottD-WA-7
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-13
Rep. Maxine WatersD-CA-35
Rep. Barbara LeeD-CA-9
Rep. Bob FilnerD-CA-51
Rep. Jan SchakowskyD-IL-9
Rep. Dennis KucinichD-OH-10
Rep. John LewisD-GA-5
Rep. Lynn WoolseyD-CA-6
Rep. George MillerD-CA-7
Rep. Raúl GrijalvaD-AZ-7
Rep. John OlverD-MA-1
Rep. Alcee HastingsD-FL-23
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8
Rep. Jesse JacksonD-IL-2
Rep. Maurice HincheyD-NY-22
Rep. Tammy BaldwinD-WI-2
Rep. Jim McGovernD-MA-3
Rep. John TierneyD-MA-6- Rep. Major OwensD-NY-11
Rep. Barney FrankD-MA-4
Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7
Rep. Diane WatsonD-CA-33- Rep. Stephanie JonesD-OH-11
Rep. Ed TownsD-NY-10
Rep. Hilda SolisD-CA-32
Rep. Wm. ClayD-MO-1
Rep. Mel WattD-NC-12
Rep. Mike HondaD-CA-15
Rep. Peter DeFazioD-OR-4
Rep. Sam FarrD-CA-17
Rep. Linda SánchezD-CA-39
Rep. Bill DelahuntD-MA-10
Rep. Danny DavisD-IL-7
Rep. Louise SlaughterD-NY-28- Rep. Julia CarsonD-IN-7
Rep. Bennie ThompsonD-MS-2
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-30
Rep. Lloyd DoggettD-TX-10
Rep. Sherrod BrownD-OH-13
Rep. Sheila Jackson LeeD-TX-18
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-15
Rep. Nancy PelosiD-CA-8
Rep. Luis GutiérrezD-IL-4
Rep. Bobby RushD-IL-1
Rep. Rush HoltD-NJ-12
Rep. Xavier BecerraD-CA-31
Rep. Tom UdallD-NM-3
Rep. Bobby ScottD-VA-3- Rep. Martin SaboD-MN-5
- Rep. Lane EvansD-IL-17
Rep. Eddie JohnsonD-TX-30
Rep. Rosa DeLauroD-CT-3
Rep. José SerranoD-NY-16
Rep. Ed PastorD-AZ-4- Rep. Frank BallanceD-NC-1
Rep. Elijah CummingsD-MD-7
Rep. Diana DeGetteD-CO-1- Rep. Jerry KleczkaD-WI-4
Rep. Chaka FattahD-PA-2
Rep. Grace NapolitanoD-CA-38
Rep. Lucille Roybal-AllardD-CA-34
Rep. Jim ClyburnD-SC-6- Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonaldD-CA-37
Rep. John LarsonD-CT-1
Rep. Earl BlumenauerD-OR-3
Rep. Lois CappsD-CA-23
Rep. Richard NealD-MA-2
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7
Rep. Marcy KapturD-OH-9
Rep. Patrick KennedyD-RI-1
Rep. Tom AllenD-ME-1
Rep. Betty McCollumD-MN-4- Rep. Ted StricklandD-OH-6
Rep. Mark UdallD-CO-2
Rep. Robert BradyD-PA-1
Rep. Gary AckermanD-NY-5- Rep. Marty MeehanD-MA-5
Rep. Tim RyanD-OH-17
Rep. Robert WexlerD-FL-19
Rep. Chris Van HollenD-MD-8
Rep. Brad ShermanD-CA-27
Rep. Carolyn MaloneyD-NY-14
Rep. Peter ViscloskyD-IN-1- Rep. Karen McCarthyD-MO-5
Rep. Brian BairdD-WA-3
Rep. John DingellD-MI-15
Rep. Anna EshooD-CA-14
Rep. Neil AbercrombieD-HI-1
Rep. Loretta SanchezD-CA-47- Rep. Tom LantosD-CA-12
- Rep. Robert MatsuiD-CA-5
Rep. Bart StupakD-MI-1
Rep. Rahm EmanuelD-IL-5
Rep. Rob AndrewsD-NJ-1
Rep. Michael McNultyD-NY-21
Rep. Kendrick MeekD-FL-17
Rep. Jay InsleeD-WA-1
Rep. Eliot EngelD-NY-17
Rep. Mike ThompsonD-CA-1
Rep. Rick LarsenD-WA-2
Rep. Ciro RodriguezD-TX-28
Rep. Gregory MeeksD-NY-6
Rep. Dale KildeeD-MI-5- Rep. Denise MajetteD-GA-4
Rep. Bill PascrellD-NJ-8
Rep. Steny HoyerD-MD-5
Rep. Sander LevinD-MI-12
Rep. Timothy BishopD-NY-1
Rep. Brad MillerD-NC-13
Rep. Steven RothmanD-NJ-9- Rep. Harold FordD-TN-9
- Rep. Joseph HoeffelD-PA-13
Rep. Adam SchiffD-CA-29- Rep. Chris BellD-TX-25
Rep. Michael DoyleD-PA-14- Rep. Peter DeutschD-FL-20
Rep. Nick RahallD-WV-3
Rep. Gene GreenD-TX-29
Rep. Nick LampsonD-TX-9
Rep. Shelley BerkleyD-NV-1
Rep. Stephen LynchD-MA-9
Rep. Ellen TauscherD-CA-10
Rep. David WuD-OR-1
Rep. Joe BacaD-CA-43
Rep. Marion BerryD-AR-1
Rep. Jerry CostelloD-IL-12- Rep. Albert WynnD-MD-4
Rep. Benjamin CardinD-MD-3
Rep. Carolyn McCarthyD-NY-4
Rep. Michael MichaudD-ME-2
Rep. Paul KanjorskiD-PA-11- Rep. Martin FrostD-TX-24
Rep. David PriceD-NC-4
Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6
Rep. Bob EtheridgeD-NC-2
Rep. Jane HarmanD-CA-36
Rep. Rubén HinojosaD-TX-15
Rep. John SprattD-SC-5
Rep. Steve IsraelD-NY-2
Rep. Charlie GonzalezD-TX-20
Rep. Jim MoranD-VA-8
Rep. Darlene HooleyD-OR-5- Rep. Jim DavisD-FL-11
Rep. A. Dutch RuppersbergerD-MD-2
Rep. Ron KindD-WI-3
Rep. Mike RossD-AR-4
Rep. Silvestre ReyesD-TX-16- Rep. Max SandlinD-TX-1
Rep. Baron HillD-IN-9
Rep. Jim CooperD-TN-5
Rep. Leonard BoswellD-IA-3
Rep. Dennis MooreD-KS-3
Rep. Sanford BishopD-GA-2
Rep. Vic SnyderD-AR-2
Rep. Solomon OrtizD-TX-27
Rep. John TannerD-TN-8
Rep. Dennis CardozaD-CA-18
Rep. Mike McIntyreD-NC-7
Rep. Ed CaseD-HI-2
Rep. Rick BoucherD-VA-9
Rep. David ScottD-GA-13
Rep. Tim HoldenD-PA-17
Rep. Ike SkeltonD-MO-4- Rep. Jim TurnerD-TX-2
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12
Rep. Chet EdwardsD-TX-11
Rep. Bart GordonD-TN-6- Rep. Cal DooleyD-CA-20
- Rep. Brad CarsonD-OK-2
Rep. Lincoln DavisD-TN-4
Rep. Gene TaylorD-MS-4
Rep. Jim MarshallD-GA-3
Rep. Allen BoydD-FL-2
Rep. Jim MathesonD-UT-2- Rep. Chris JohnD-LA-7
Rep. Collin PetersonD-MN-7- Rep. Charlie StenholmD-TX-17
- Rep. Ken LucasD-KY-4
Rep. Rodney AlexanderD-LA-5
Republicans who voted yea(199)
- Rep. Jim LeachR-IA-2
Rep. Michael CastleR-DE
Rep. Timothy JohnsonR-IL-15- Rep. Doug BereuterR-NE-1
- Rep. Rob SimmonsR-CT-2
- Rep. Sherry BoehlertR-NY-24
Rep. Chris SmithR-NJ-4
Rep. Heather WilsonR-NM-1
Rep. Frank LoBiondoR-NJ-2
Rep. John McHughR-NY-23
Rep. Fred UptonR-MI-6
Rep. Steven LaTouretteR-OH-14- Rep. Jack QuinnR-NY-27
Rep. Ray LaHoodR-IL-18- Rep. Sue KellyR-NY-19
Rep. Jim SaxtonR-NJ-3
Rep. Shelley CapitoR-WV-2- Rep. Curt WeldonR-PA-7
- Rep. John SweeneyR-NY-20
Rep. Pete KingR-NY-3
Rep. Jon PorterR-NV-3
Rep. Jim GerlachR-PA-6
Rep. Vernon EhlersR-MI-3
Rep. Jo Ann EmersonR-MO-8
Rep. Mike FergusonR-NJ-7- Rep. Nancy JohnsonR-CT-5
Rep. Frank WolfR-VA-10
Rep. Phil EnglishR-PA-3
Rep. Jim WalshR-NY-25
Rep. Tom LathamR-IA-4
Rep. Richard BurrR-NC-5
Rep. Rodney FrelinghuysenR-NJ-11
Rep. Rick RenziR-AZ-1
Rep. Todd PlattsR-PA-19- Rep. Bob NeyR-OH-18
Rep. Mary Bono MackR-CA-45- Rep. Clay ShawR-FL-22
Rep. Ed WhitfieldR-KY-1
Rep. Tom DavisR-VA-11
Rep. Greg WaldenR-OR-2
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16
Rep. Dave HobsonR-OH-7- Rep. Tom OsborneR-NE-3
- Rep. Jim GreenwoodR-PA-8
Rep. Ralph HallD-TX-4
Rep. Tim MurphyR-PA-18
Rep. Candice MillerR-MI-10
Rep. Ken CalvertR-CA-44
Rep. Wayne GilchrestR-MD-1- Rep. Paul GillmorR-OH-5
Rep. John PetersonR-PA-5
Rep. Lincoln Diaz-BalartR-FL-21- Rep. Mark FoleyR-FL-16
Rep. Chip PickeringR-MS-3
Rep. Thad McCotterR-MI-11
Rep. Michael TurnerR-OH-3
Rep. Jerry LewisR-CA-41- Rep. Don SherwoodR-PA-10
Rep. Jerry WellerR-IL-11
Rep. Judy BiggertR-IL-13
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-10
Rep. Mike RogersR-AL-3
Rep. Don YoungR-AK- Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
Rep. Joe KnollenbergR-MI-9
Rep. Ander CrenshawR-FL-4
Rep. Dave CampR-MI-4- Rep. Doug OseR-CA-3
Rep. Ginny Brown-WaiteR-FL-5
Rep. Rob PortmanR-OH-2
Rep. Kay GrangerR-TX-12
Rep. Henry BrownR-SC-1- Rep. Jim NussleR-IA-1
- Rep. Max BurnsR-GA-12
- Rep. Billy TauzinR-LA-3
- Rep. Porter GossR-FL-14
Rep. Darrell IssaR-CA-49
Rep. Elton GalleglyR-CA-24- Rep. Duke CunninghamR-CA-50
Rep. Roger WickerR-MS-1- Rep. Bill ThomasR-CA-22
Rep. Robert AderholtR-AL-4- Rep. Henry BonillaR-TX-23
Rep. Buck McKeonR-CA-25
Rep. David DreierR-CA-26
Rep. Jerry MoranR-KS-1
Rep. Zach WampR-TN-3
Rep. Devin NunesR-CA-21
Rep. Lamar SmithR-TX-21
Rep. Denny RehbergR-MT- Rep. Jennifer DunnR-WA-8
Rep. Mike RogersR-MI-8
Rep. John BoozmanR-AR-3
Rep. John MicaR-FL-7- Rep. Michael OxleyR-OH-4
Rep. Bill ShusterR-PA-9
Rep. Tom ColeR-OK-4
Rep. Thomas ReynoldsR-NY-26
Rep. Spencer BachusR-AL-6
Rep. Charlie BassR-NH-2
Rep. Steve PearceR-NM-2- Rep. Cass BallengerR-NC-10
- Rep. Bill JenkinsR-TN-1
Rep. Jo BonnerR-AL-1
Rep. Ron LewisR-KY-2
Rep. Doc HastingsR-WA-4- Rep. Michael BilirakisR-FL-9
Rep. Robin HayesR-NC-8
Rep. Adam PutnamR-FL-12
Rep. Pat TiberiR-OH-12
Rep. Jim McCreryR-LA-4
Rep. Mark SouderR-IN-3
Rep. Duncan HunterR-CA-52- Rep. Richard PomboR-CA-11
- Rep. Jo Ann DavisR-VA-1
- Rep. Richard BakerR-LA-6
Rep. Steve BuyerR-IN-4- Rep. Katherine HarrisR-FL-13
Rep. Virgil GoodeR-VA-5
Rep. Randy ForbesR-VA-4
Rep. John DoolittleR-CA-4
Rep. John BoehnerR-OH-8
Rep. George RadanovichR-CA-19- Rep. Melissa HartR-PA-4
Rep. Roy BluntR-MO-7
Rep. Walter JonesR-NC-3
Rep. Bob GoodlatteR-VA-6
Rep. Jim RamstadR-MN-3- Rep. Ed SchrockR-VA-2
Rep. Sam GravesR-MO-6
Rep. John KlineR-MN-2
Rep. Phil GingreyR-GA-11- Rep. Tom DeLayR-TX-22
- Rep. Mark GreenR-WI-8
Rep. Ric KellerR-FL-8
Rep. Terry EverettR-AL-2- Rep. Jim RyunR-KS-2
Rep. Eric CantorR-VA-7
Rep. Mario Diaz-BalartR-FL-25
Rep. John CarterR-TX-31
Rep. David VitterR-LA-1
Rep. Lee TerryR-NE-2- Rep. Scott McInnisR-CO-3
- Rep. Jim GibbonsR-NV-2
Rep. Donald ManzulloR-IL-16
Rep. Rob BishopR-UT-1- Rep. Bob BeauprezR-CO-7
Rep. Jack KingstonR-GA-1
Rep. Joe BartonR-TX-6
Rep. Pete HoekstraR-MI-2
Rep. Johnny IsaksonR-GA-6- Rep. J.D. HayworthR-AZ-5
- Rep. Mark KennedyR-MN-6
- Rep. Chris ChocolaR-IN-2
Rep. Tom PetriR-WI-6
Rep. John CulbersonR-TX-7
Rep. John LinderR-GA-7
Rep. Gary MillerR-CA-42
Rep. Mac ThornberryR-TX-13
Rep. Randy NeugebauerR-TX-19
Rep. Michael BurgessR-TX-26
Rep. Joe WilsonR-SC-2- Rep. Gil GutknechtR-MN-1
Rep. Kevin BradyR-TX-8
Rep. Joseph PittsR-PA-16
Rep. Howard CobleR-NC-6
Rep. Steve ChabotR-OH-1- Rep. Christopher CoxR-CA-48
Rep. Paul RyanR-WI-1
Rep. Barbara CubinR-WY
Rep. Marsha BlackburnR-TN-7
Rep. Wally HergerR-CA-2
Rep. Pete SessionsR-TX-32
Rep. Chris CannonR-UT-3- Rep. Charlie NorwoodR-GA-9
- Rep. Phil CraneR-IL-8
Rep. Mac CollinsR-GA-8
Rep. Sue MyrickR-NC-9
Rep. Sam JohnsonR-TX-3- Rep. John HostettlerR-IN-8
Rep. Steve KingR-IA-5
Rep. Marilyn MusgraveR-CO-4
Rep. Todd AkinR-MO-2
Rep. J. Gresham BarrettR-SC-3
Rep. Jimmy DuncanR-TN-2- Rep. Nick SmithR-MI-7
Rep. Scott GarrettR-NJ-5
Rep. Cliff StearnsR-FL-6
Rep. Mike PenceR-IN-6- Rep. Joel HefleyR-CO-5
Rep. Jeb HensarlingR-TX-5
Rep. Tom TancredoR-CO-6
Rep. Ed RoyceR-CA-40
Rep. Roscoe BartlettR-MD-6- Rep. Butch OtterR-ID-1
Rep. James SensenbrennerR-WI-5
Rep. Jeff MillerR-FL-1
Rep. John ShadeggR-AZ-3
Rep. Trent FranksR-AZ-2
Data notes
The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 299 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Judiciary Committee · House · referred toSubcommittee: Commercial and Administrative Law Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
2 bills the Library of Congress relates to this one.
H.R. 2302Related bill
Protection of Family Farmers Act of 2003
S. 1323Identical billRelated bill
Family Farmer Bankruptcy Relief Act of 2003
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 16 actions.
- Aug 15, 2003Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 108-73.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Aug 7, 2003FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Aug 1, 2003FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Jul 31, 2003FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Jun 24, 2003CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate, read twice.
- Jun 23, 2003FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 379 - 3 (Roll no. 300).House roll call 300
- FloorFloor · Considered as unfinished business.
- FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2465.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Sensenbrenner moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Jun 16, 2003CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law.
- Jun 12, 2003CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
No amendments to this bill are on record.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.