PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.
H.R.139 / 115th Congress

Protecting Employees and Retirees in Municipal Bankruptcies Act of 2017

Referred to the Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial And Antitrust Law.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jan 3, 2017

Protecting Employees and Retirees in Municipal Bankruptcies Act of 2017

This bill amends federal bankruptcy law to: (1) heighten criteria with respect to a municipality's eligibility for municipal bankruptcy, and (2) revise provisions related to judicial procedure and review in municipality bankruptcy cases.

In addition, the bill expands protections for employees and retirees in cases of municipal bankruptcy. Specifically, if a municipal bankruptcy plan modifies a collective bargaining agreement or retiree benefit, the covered employees' authorized representative must agree to the plan as a condition of the plan's confirmation by the court.

In general, the authorized representative shall be the labor organization that is signatory to the collective bargaining agreement. However, the bill establishes procedures for the court's appointment of a different representative under specified circumstances.

Read the summary on Congress.gov
PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

Who introduced it

Rep. Conyers, John, Jr. [D-MI-13] · D–MI

Committees

  • Judiciary Committee
3 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

  1. Referred to the Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial And Antitrust Law.

  2. Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

  3. Introduced in House

  4. Introduced in House

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

Source last updated: Aug 11, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.R.139 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources
Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.R.139 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources
Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.R.139 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources
Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.R.139 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources