,,ii #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #cdbd ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,december #aj1 #bjbe,mr4 ,coons 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,graham1 ,mr4 ,booker1 and ,mrs4 ,blackburn7 introduced the following bill2 which was considered1 read the third time1 and passed ,a ,,bill ,to amend titles #aa and #bh1 ,united ,states ,code1 to modify the compensation payable to trustees serving in cases under chapter #g of title #aa1 ,united ,states ,code1 to extend the term of certain temporary offices of bankruptcy judges1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,bankruptcy ,administration ,improvement ,act of #bjbe4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,congress has amended the laws governing bankruptcy fees as necessary to ensure that the bankruptcy system remains self-supporting1 while also fairly allocating the costs of the system among those who use the system4 7#b7 ,because of the importance for the bankruptcy system to be self-funded1 at no cost to taxpayers1 ,congress has closely monitored the funding needs of the bankruptcy system1 including by requiring periodic reporting by the ,attorney ,general regarding the ,united ,states ,trustee ,system ,fund4 7#c7 ,because the system governing bankruptcies of various types is interconnected1 ,congress has established fees1 including filing fees1 quarterly fees in chapter #aa cases1 and other fees1 that together fund the courts1 judges1 ,united ,states trustees1 and trustees serving in bankruptcy cases under chapter #g of title #aa1 ,united ,states ,code4 7#d7 ,trustees serving in bankruptcy cases under chapter #g of title #aa1 ,united ,states ,code1 are vital to the functioning of the bankruptcy system1 as they provide services at the front lines of the bankruptcy process1 administering thousands of cases4 7#e7 ,chapter #g bankruptcy trustees provide valuable returns of assets to government creditors1 including the ,internal ,revenue ,service1 the ,department of ,agriculture1 the ,small ,business ,administration1 and other ,federal1 ,state1 and municipal governments4 7#f7 ,due to the work of the chapter #g bankruptcy trustees1 millions of dollars are also disbursed annually to private creditors of all types1 including medical providers1 unsecured creditors1 small businesses1 and micro-enterprises such as domestic support providers4 7#g7 ,despite the essential role of chapter #g bankruptcy trustees1 since #aiid the amount of compensation paid to these trustees has not been increased4 ,as in #aiid1 bankruptcy trustees receive only #fj per case 7composed of #de from subsection #ccj7;b77#a71 and #ae from subsection #ccj7;b77#b71 of title #aa1 ,united ,states ,code7 in nearly #ij percent of chapter #g cases1 and bankruptcy trustees receive no compensation at all for cases in which the filing fee is waived by the bankruptcy court4 7#h7 ,since #aiid1 there have been significant increases in salaries1 attorney fees1 budget appropriations1 filing fees1 and court-related fees associated with chapter #g bankruptcies4 ,in contrast1 the #fj paid to chapter #g trustees has remained the same and has not even been increased for inflation4 ,in #bjba1 ,congress attempted to implement a mechanism that would give chapter #g trustees a raise1 but the trustees only received increased compensation for #a fiscal year4 ,based on ,consumer ,price ,index estimates1 the #fj paid to trustees in #aiid would be the equivalent of over #abe today4 7#i7 ,this ,act and the amendments made by this ,act-- 7,a7 increase the compensation of chapter #g bankruptcy trustees to the level that is appropriate1 overdue1 and proportionate with the level that was intended in #aiid1 by increasing the total compensation of trustees to #abj per case2 7,b7 ensure adequate funding of the ,united ,states trustee system through the increase of certain fees1 which will also apply to districts that are not part of a ,united ,states trustee region as required by existing law2 and 7,c7 support the preservation of existing bankruptcy judgeships that are urgently needed to handle existing and anticipated increases in business and consumer caseloads4 7#aj7 ,this ,act will not alter the filing fee under chapter #g of title #aa1 ,united ,states ,code1 and will not modify1 impair1 or supersede the current authority of the district courts of the ,united ,states1 or of bankruptcy courts1 to waive the payment of filing fees by indigent individuals4 #c4 ,trustee compensation 7a7 ,compensation of officers ,section #ccj of title #aa1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7b77#a7 by striking #de and inserting #aje2 and 7#b7 by striking subsection 7e74 7b7 ,remainder of fees ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 the remainder of fees collected under section #aicj7;a77#a77;,a7 of title #bh1 ,united ,states ,code1 after compensating trustees under section #ccj7;b77#a7 of title #aa1 ,united ,states ,code1 shall be deposited as follows3 7#a7 #fc4ea in the special fund of the ,treasury established under section #aica of title #bh1 ,united ,states ,code4 7#b7 #be4jj in the special fund established in accordance with section #ajaja7;b7 of the ,deficit ,reduction ,act of #bjje 7#bh ,u4,s4,c4 #aica note74 7#c7 #ea4di in the ,united ,states ,trustee ,system ,fund established under section #ehi;a of title #bh1 ,united ,states ,code4 7c7 ,united ,states ,trustee ,system ,fund ,section #ehi;a of title #bh1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7b77#a77;,a71 by striking #dj4df percent of the fees collected and inserting #ea4di of the fees collected in each case2 and 7#b7 in subsection 7f77#a7-- 7,a7 in subparagraph 7,d7 by striking ,fourth and inserting ,second2 7,b7 by striking subparagraphs 7,b7 and 7,c72 and 7,c7 by redesignating subparagraph 7,d7 as subparagraph 7,b74 #d4 ,bankruptcy fees 7a7 ,quarterly fees ,section #aicj7;a77#f77;,b7 of title #bh1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 in clause 7i71 by striking #e-year and inserting #aj-year2 and 7#b7 in clause 7ii7-- 7,a7 in subclause 7,i7-- 7i7 by inserting the greater of before #j4d2 and 7ii7 by striking and at the end and inserting or2 and 7,b7 in subclause 7,,ii71 by striking #j4h and inserting #j4i4 7b7 ,period for deposits ,section #ehi;a7f7 of title #bh1 ,united ,states ,code1 as amended by section #c7;c77#b71 is amended by striking #bjbf each place it appears and inserting #bjca4 7c7 ,deposits of certain fees for fiscal years #bjbf through #bjca ,notwithstanding section #ehi;a7b7 of title #bh1 ,united ,states ,code1 for each of fiscal years #bjbf through #bjca-- 7#a7 the fees collected under section #aicj7;a77#f7 of title #bh1 ,united ,states ,code1 less the amount specified in subparagraph 7#b7 of this subsection1 shall be deposited as specified in section #ehi;a7f7 of title #bh1 ,united ,states ,code1 as amended by this ,act2 and 7#b7 #e1djj1jjj of the fees collected under section #aicj7;a77#f7 of title #bh1 ,united ,states ,code1 shall be deposited in the general fund of the ,treasury4 #e4 ,extension of term of certain temporary offices of bankruptcy judge 7a7 ,bankruptcy ,administration ,improvement ,act of #bjbj ,section #d of the ,bankruptcy ,administration ,improvement ,act of #bjbj 7#bh ,u4,s4,c4 #aeb note7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a77#b7-- 7,a7 in subparagraph 7,a77i71 by striking #e years and inserting #aj years2 and 7,b7 in subparagraph 7,b77i71 by striking #e years and inserting #aj years2 7#b7 in subsection 7b77#b7-- 7,a7 in subparagraph 7,a77i71 by striking #e years and inserting #aj years2 7,b7 in subparagraph 7,b77i71 by striking #e years and inserting #aj years2 7,c7 in subparagraph 7,c77i71 by striking #e years and inserting #aj years2 7,d7 in subparagraph 7,d77i71 by striking #e years and inserting #aj years2 7,e7 in subparagraph 7,e77i71 by striking #e years and inserting #aj years2 and 7,f7 in subparagraph 7,f77i71 by striking #e years and inserting #aj years2 7#c7 in subsection 7c77#b7-- 7,a7 in subparagraph 7,a77i71 by striking #e years and inserting #aj years2 and 7,b7 in subparagraph 7,b77i71 by striking #e years and inserting #aj years2 7#d7 in subsection 7d77#b7-- 7,a7 in subparagraph 7,a77i71 by striking #e years and inserting #aj years2 and 7,b7 in subparagraph 7,b77i71 by striking #e years and inserting #aj years2 7#e7 in subsection 7e77#b77;,a71 by striking #e years and inserting #aj years2 and 7#f7 in subsection 7f77#b77;,a71 by striking #e years and inserting #aj years4 7b7 ,bankruptcy ,judgeship ,act of #bjag ,section #ajjc7;b77#b77;,a7 of the ,bankruptcy ,judgeship ,act of #bjag 7#bh ,u4,s4,c4 #aeb note7 is amended by striking #8#8#e years'' and inserting #8#8#aj years''4 #f4 ,effective date2 application of amendments 7a7 ,in general ,except as provided in subsection 7b71 the amendments made by this ,act shall take effect on the first day of the calendar quarter that first occurs on or after the date of enactment of this ,act4 7b7 ,exceptions 7#a7 ,compensation of officers ,section #c and the amendments made by section #c shall apply to any case under title #aa1 ,united ,states ,code1 commenced on or after ,october #a that first occurs after the date of enactment of this ,act-- 7,a7 under chapter #g of title #aa1 ,united ,states ,code2 or 7,b7 under chapter #aa1 #ab1 or #ac of title #aa1 ,united ,states ,code1 that is converted to a case under chapter #g of title #aa1 ,united ,states ,code4 7#b7 ,bankruptcy fees ,section #d and the amendments made by section #d shall apply to-- 7,a7 any case commenced or pending under chapter #aa of title #aa1 ,united ,states ,code1 on the first day of the calendar quarter that first occurs on or after the date of enactment of this ,act2 and 7,b7 quarterly fees payable under section #aicj7;a77#f7 of title #bh1 ,united ,states ,code1 as amended by section #d1 for disbursements made in any calendar quarter that begins on or after the date of enactment of this ,act4