WASHINGTON — More than 15 civil rights, consumer and housinggroups joined together to issue a statement condemning the U.S.Senate for refusing to include changes in the bankruptcy code inthe Foreclosure Prevention Act.

“Any final bill hammered out between the U.S. House and Senatethat is a serious effort to stem the foreclosure crisis mustinclude meaningful relief to families to modify their mortgage inbankruptcy,” the statement said. “Bankruptcy relief will stabilizecommunities, keep more than half a million families in their homesand provide lenders at least as much income as they would receivethrough foreclosure.”

The joint statement was signed by a host of advocacy groups,including the Center for Responsible Lending, ACORN, the ConsumerFederation of America, Consumers Union, the NAACP Legal DefenseFund, the National Association of Neighborhoods and the NationalCouncil of La Raza.