Credit-card issuers, supported by President George W. Bush and a larger Senate Republican majority, are about to reduce consumers’ ability to discharge their debts because of bankruptcy.

By a vote of 74-25, the Senate passed legislation that will make some consumers pay more of their credit card and unsecured debts. Republicans in the House of Representatives are willing to put the bill to a vote next month.

The vote would mean a president’s victory in his fight in Congress over the proposed budget and his plan on Social Security structural change. Last month Congress met Bush’s expectations and passed legislation designed to reduce the number of class-action suits against companies.

``By reforming the system with this common-sense approach, more Americans -- especially lower-income Americans -- will have greater access to credit,’’ President Bush said in a statement urging the House ``to act quickly on bankruptcy.’’

Credit-card companies such as MBNA Corp., JPMorgan Chase & Co., and the finance units of General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. have stood for the bill for 8 years. It passed three other times in the Senate but was rejected in the House.

Supporters of the bill say the bill is needed to reduce the five-fold increase in personal bankruptcy filings from less than 300,000 in 1980 to almost 1.6 million in 2003.

``One of the key goals of this legislation is to make sure the system is not abused by the unscrupulous who leave their creditors high and dry,’’ said Utah Republican Orrin Hatch.

Democrats opposed the idea arguing that the bill puts under pressure the middle-income Americans who are forced into debt by medical expenses, divorce or other financial hardships.

Still, 18 Democrats, including Minority Leader Harry Reid, together with 55 Republicans voted for the bill. The bill would come into effect 180 days after it is signed by the President.

The bill would serve as a means test, banning some consumers with incomes above their state’s average to erase their unsecured debts by filing for bankruptcy under Chapter 7.

Some consumers would be made to file under Chapter 13, which enables creditors to demand repayment of some debt. Those who could repay a huge sum of $10,000 would be forced into Chapter 13. For those who could pay 25 percent of their total debt or $6,000 per month it would be prohibited to discharge their debts.